For the Sake of Gibby
by Agent Krisha
Summary: Gibbs has a second chance at a family. But what happens when the mother of his unborn son and Tony have been kidnapped? Rated T for some swearing. First Fan Fiction.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS, its Characters, or Mark Harmon. If I did I wouldn't change a thing! Except maybe... Either way, I am doing this for fun and am not making any money off of it. **

"_So there is this movie premiere type thing coming up next week." Molly Rydell was dressing for the day as her boyfriend stood at the sink in the adjoining bathroom shaving. "Well it's more like a documentary premiere. Anyway, the President wants me to attend on behalf of the administration since it's about politics and the media."_

_ "Makes sense with you being the Press Secretary and all." Leroy Jethro Gibbs said has he rinsed his face. She knew the "and all" was the fact that she was actually interviewed for and appeared in the documentary. "Let me guess. This invitation is now being extended to me." _

_ "I wish it was an invitation. An invitation gives you the option of not going. It was more like an order. Quite frankly Leroy, when the President of the United States tells you you will be at an event there is no question mark after it. You know, kinda like when you tell one of your agents to do something." Molly handed her boyfriend a towel to dry his face and then began brushing her long dirty blond hair. "So I will definitely be there. I know you have no interest in going. I know its way too much lime light for you. However, if I can't find someone to bring as 'protection'- President's word, not mine- then he wants to send the Secret Service with me. I really could do without all the hassle. Those guys are a pain. So I was thinking it may be right up Tony's alley."_

_ "Oh that is definitely right up DiNozzo's alley. No thinking about it." Gibbs walked over to the bed where his clothes were laid out. He started with putting on a white t-shirt. "So you want me to give him one of those non-negotiable invitations you were just talking about?" He pulled a navy blue polo shirt over the white t-shirt. _

_ "Well I don't think he'll want to say no. A lot of big Hollywood names are going to be there. Hollywood has never been more political than it is now. That's why the opening is in DC. Its opening coincides with the New Hampshire Primary. It's all so political it even makes __me__ want to vomit. Just seems silly to have a huge premiere in the dead of winter. But they all will flock here. I am actually scheduled to give post viewing interviews to Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood. Plus Tony can keep me straight on all these names so I don't look like a fool." Molly walked over to Gibbs and buttoned the two bottom buttons of his shirt as he fastened his belt._

_ "He won't say no. I will have him call you today at work." Gibbs ran his hands along Molly's belly. She was getting bigger by the day. It made him happy because that meant his son was getting bigger by the day. He could hardly believe that in two weeks he was going to be a father again. He grabbed his blazer and kissed the top of her head. "See you tonight for dinner?"_

_ "Yup. As long as it's a slow news day." Molly put her shoes on and headed down stairs behind Gibbs. "If I need my tub first I'll call and let you know."_

That was the conversation Molly had had with Leroy last Friday. Now she sat in the back seat of a black Cadillac headed away from the historic Fords Theatre. Beside her sat Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. He was Leroy's Senior Field Agent and knew more about film than any other person she knew. The smile on his face could not have been any bigger. He had stood steadfastly by her side as they rubbed elbows with Hollywood's elite and politically active. He had guided her through waves of introductions by giving her a brief film history for each person prior to actually approaching them. He also soaked in what she had to offer when it came to each person's pet political projects. At times he even acted as a protective barrier when people were not paying attention and threatened to bump into her large belly.

"Tired Molly?" Tony broke the silence in the car when she laid her head back against the head rest and closed her eyes. "You and Gibby have had a long night." Molly smirked at the name. She could never suppress a smile whenever one of Leroy's agents referred to her son as Gibby. She and Leroy were a week away from meeting their son and they still could not agree on a name.

"Just thankful it's Friday. This was my last official duty as Press Secretary until I come back from maternity leave. They threw me a little baby shower party today in the office. The First Lady and President gave us this beautiful silver photo album. Of course it came with the engraving of his name all paid for once we decide on a name." She sighed. "So much goes into a name. We want it to be just right. We want it to be a strong, intelligent, leader type name. All the things we want him to be."

"I think you should stop stressing about it. When you see him then you will know what he should be named. I don't get why people feel so stressed out about picking a name beforehand. Say you choose Robert but he just doesn't look like a Bob. I mean you can't just focus on the proper name. You have to think of all the nicknames it could lead to."

"Wow Tony. That is rather insightful but just kind of stressed me out a little more because I hadn't thought of the whole nickname issue." She placed her hands on her belly. "Until then you are stuck with Gibby."

"Do you get to get dolled up for functions often or is the Press Secretary not usually invited to these types of things? I mean I get tonight because you were in the film and it's your field. But do you get to attend many White House parties?" Molly appreciated Tony's honest attempt to change the subject and help her relax.

"It depends on the reason for the party really. I don't make a lot of them simply because of my schedule. However, if it's really important or pertinent to my job I'm there. The last one I made was a year ago and it was the night I meet Leroy. When the Secretary of the Navy retires and he served under your grandfather in Korea then you make a point to be there."

"The way I hear it, that was the night you put Gibbs in a position he is not used to being in. He actually meet someone who made him second guess his code of conduct." Tony smiled at the idea of Gibbs treading new water instead of being his same self assured cocky smug self that he was most of the time.

"Not code of conduct Tony. Just his standard operating procedures."


	2. Chapter 2

_Prior to walking up to the men she made sure her hair was in place and ran her hands down her black lace dress to smooth it out. She had not known why this dress had screamed at her when she saw it. It was so different than anything she had worn to the White House functions in the past. It was ankle length, fitted, black lace with a red underlay. Now she glad she had gone with the impulse buy. Clearly she was meant to meet the man of her dreams at this party._

_Molly Rydell walked up to the Director of NCIS. He was talking to an extremely handsome six foot tall man with silver hair. This man also possessed the most breathtaking pair of blue eyes she had ever seen. They seemed omniscient and full of emotion. But she had a hunch they could turn fierce and piercing when it was needed. His black suit fit him perfectly. "Good evening Director Vance." She interjected into the conversation as she approached them._

"_Evening Molly." Leon Vance took her into an embrace. She and Leon had actually run into each other several times at events that required both their presence. It had turned into a friendship between herself and Leon's family that resulted in her doing dinner with the Vances at their home on a few occasions. "Molly, this is Special Agent Gibbs of NCIS. Jethro this is Molly Rydell-"_

"_-Press Secretary for the White House." Gibbs finished._

"_Special Agent Gibbs. So nice to meet you." She shook the older man's hand that he held out._

_Jethro was struck by her beauty. Well if he was being honest with himself he was struck by that dress. It hugged her body in all the right places to be elegant and flirty at the same time. He was also impressed how she held herself. Her presence oozed confidence and intelligence. If he was 20 years younger or she was 20 years older he would have asked her for her number. But he did not date younger. Hell these days he did not date at all, much to his divorce lawyer's dismay._

"_Excuse me Gentlemen but I see the President is giving me the signal to come save him from the Senator over there." She excused herself after making small talk with Leon for a few minutes. As she walked away she turned, "I expect neither of you will even attempt to leave without spinning me around this dance floor at least once." She flashed a smile and headed for the President._

"_That one is a fire cracker Jethro. And it looks like you have lit her fuse." Vance turned to look at his most decorated and most difficult agent._

"_Little old for her don't ya think Leon?" Gibbs gave Vance the same doubting glare that he had received so many times before._

"_Not for Molly. She does not date men her age. Nothing sets her belly on fire like running her hand through a nice head of silver hair while looking into the eyes of her lover." Vance put his hands up in defense. "Her words not mine."_

"_Well Jeeze Leon, if you're having that kind of conversation with her, are you sure it's me who lit her fuse?" Gibbs scoffed at his superior. "How well do you know her?"_

"_Well enough that the conversation occurred in front of my wife over dinner at my house. You don't have to believe me Gibbs. But don't say I didn't warn you."_

_Molly spent forty-five minutes attempting to keep up in conversation while keeping track of Jethro Gibbs' movements around the room. She made her way over to Leon and held out her hand. "I think I would like to dance now Leon." Leon made his excuses as he parted with his present company and took Molly's hand and lead her to the dance floor. He could not help but admire her when she cut to the chase. "So tell me about Agent Gibbs."_

_Leon chuckled. "I knew by the look in your eye Molly. I knew it."_

"_Come on Leon. It's not like I am a serial dater. I think I have been out with you and Jackie more than I have with any men since I have been in DC. It's not easy to meet guys in my job. They all feel intimidated when they figure out where I work. I can't date a man I can intimidate. You know that. Gibbs doesn't seem like he gets intimidated."_

"_That he does not. If you want that, you have your work cut out for you. He does not date often. He is a tough man Molly. Four marriages and three divorces."_

"_I didn't see a ring on his finger. Is he separated?" She started to look disappointed. Maybe Gibbs was not as available as she thought he was._

"_First marriage ended when his wife and daughter were killed by the head of a Mexican Drug Cartel. If you are going to pursue him I would avoid that subject all together."_

"_Of course." She whispered. While the story was sad it also meant that Gibbs was available for her to "pursue" as Leon put it. "Any tips?"_

"_Only warnings. He is a smug SOB. Has a strict set of rules he lives by. More often than not his gut is right which also makes him a bit arrogant." Leon chuckled. He was trying to warn her off of Gibbs but the look in her slate colored eyes told him he was doing just the opposite. "You will also be hard pressed to find someone more loyal and protective. I must warn you that you have two strikes running against you."_

"_What could I have possibly done in the five minutes I was talking with you?" She gave him the same look he had gotten from Gibbs earlier. He hated that look. _

"_You are young for his taste and you are not a red head. He is a bit partial to the red heads. I think he likes the fight in 'em. I also have a theory that that's how he's ended up with three ex-wives."_

"_I can give him a fight if he wants one Leon." The song ended and Leon gave her a peck on the cheek. "Now where is your Agent Gibbs?"_

_Molly was looking through the crowd looking for Gibbs when a hand snaked around her upper arm and she heard a voice from behind her. "I was told that I could not think of leaving before I danced with the Press Secretary. I have it on good authority that she knows the retiring SecNav extremely well." She smiled and turned to find Gibbs behind her. How did he know she was looking for him?_

"_Well he is only my God Father." She shrugged and smiled. "He saved my Grandfather in Korea when his boat was hit and was going down. My father and uncle were already boys by then. So when Dad married later in life and Gramps had already passed, he took up the position."_

"_He speaks highly of you." By this time the song was already half over. She had a suspicion that Gibbs had sought her out to fulfill his obligation of a dance so he could head home. She looked at the watch on her left wrist. "Am I keeping you from something?" He asked. _

"_Nope. I am just checking to see if it's late enough to call it a night without looking like I'm ditching the Secretary. I have many phone calls to make in the morning before briefing time. When you're retired everyday is Saturday. When you work at the White House, it is still Wednesday night. I think I have put my allotted time in. After this dance I may head out."_

"_Well why don't we go say good night to the Secretary and I will walk you to your car. I was thinking about heading out myself." _

_As Molly made her farewell rounds Gibbs went to the coat check to get their coats. When he reached into the pocket of his suit he found a business card inside. It was that of Molly Rydell, Press Secretary to the White House. On the back was a hand written phone number. He smiled. He had to give her credit. She was sneaky. He hadn't felt her hand near his pocket. _

"_Well DiNozzo would be crying right now if he saw this." Gibbs and Molly had made it to her 1966 Mustang Convertible. _

"_DiNozzo?" _

"_He is my Senior Field Agent. He had this car until it was blown up during an assignment. He has been searching for the perfect replacement for it ever since."_

"_There is no replacing this car."_

"_Funny. He says the same thing." Gibbs smirked and Molly almost melted into a puddle right there. Did he have any idea how sexy he was? "Another thing that's funny is when I went to get our coats I found this-" he held up her business card "-in my pocket."_

"_Well Jethro, you never know when you might need the number to the Press Secretary to the White House. Because at some point you are going to realize you want my number and I'm just trying to save you the embarrassment of having to call my Godfather for it." She looked him in the eye when she said it and he found himself admiring many things about her….again._

"_Appreciate you looking out for me. Don't want to know what kind of disparaging remarks SecNav would have for me when I call and ask him for the phone number of a girl who is clearly much younger than me." _

"_Want to know what I have to say about age?"_

"_Dying to hear it." He moved closer to her. She was now leaning against the hood of her car and he was beginning to invade her personal space. She liked it._

"_Well there is the Groucho Marx argument. You are only as old as the woman you feel." She smiled when he chuckled._

"_And the second?"_

"_Nothing sets my belly on fire like running my fingers through a nice head of silver hair-" _

"_-while looking into your lover's eyes." He finished her statement. "Seems as if I have heard that somewhere else tonight."_

"_You must have been talking with Leon about me. You know what that means?" She smirked._

"_What?" He raised an eyebrow._

"_That means that you __will__ be using that card."_

_She was shocked when he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. He whispered in her ear. "You wouldn't be wrong." She could hear him smile and then he turned around and began to walk away._

"_Don't lose that card Special Agent Gibbs." She called to him._

"_Oh I won't Press Secretary Rydell." He called without looking back as he walked away. He put the card in the pocket of his long coat and patted the pocket with his hand for emphasis._


	3. Chapter 3

"Umm- Driver, where are we headed? This is not the way back to the house." Molly had been lost in thought about names that she had not noticed that the driver had turned away from the route back to Leroy's house. Her head snapped up at Tony's question. They were now headed out of the city and towards darkness. When the driver did not acknowledge his question Tony began to really get uncomfortable. "Listen Buddy, I am a federal agent. If you don't answer me there's going to be hell to pay." Tony went for his Sig.

"Agent DiNozzo, I would just keep that gun in its holster." The driver looked into the rear view mirror with a grin that Molly could only describe as disturbing. He held up his right hand that held a small remote control. "You go for that gun again and this whole car will be blown to bits." In response Tony put the Sig back in the holster at his hip and put his hands up so the driver could see that he was following directions.

Tony tried not to show the fear that began to take over. He knew he had to keep strong for Molly. God, Gibbs was gonna kill him. Of all the assignments over the past decade he was given by his mentor and this was the one that had to go wrong for him. Well, not the only one, but this was the mother of all assignments protecting the mother of Gibby. He put a hand on Molly's hand as he saw she was clearly scared. "It'll be okay Molly. We will be okay." He whispered as he squeezed the hand he had taken into his.

"Yes Molly, it will be just fine. When we get what we want then you can go home and have your baby and go on with your life. You just give me what I want and we will be all set." The man sneered this out as he pulled off the road behind a black Tahoe. The man turned the ignition off in the Cadillac and looked back at Molly. "Aren't you the least bit interested in what we want Molly?"

"Listen buddy, just tell me what it is and we will get it to you. What is it? Money? Just name the price." Tony's hostage negotiations training took over. Only problem was, he had never been the negotiator and the hostage before.

"This is between us." The man waved his index finger between himself and Molly. "Only reason you are stuck in the middle is because you are the schlep who got roped into taking Miss Molly here to that bullshit piece of propaganda they call a documentary. Sorry about that bro."

The fear in Molly compounded tenfold when she realized that the seat she sat in had become wet. Her stomach had been bothering her for hours but how could this all be happening at once? When the man dressed as a chauffeur spoke of the documentary, the language he used struck a chord in her memory. "CAMS". The one word put another disturbing smile on his face. Tony looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Citizens Against Media Suppression. So you are the one who has been sending me those emails?"

"We told you we were willing to take matters into our own hands if you did not release the information that we wanted. You clearly did not heed the warning so here you are." The man got out of the front seat with the device still in his hand. He headed towards the back door and got Tony out first. He reached into Tony's jacket and pulled out his gun. He then patted down Tony's body. After removing the backup gun from around Tony's ankle he was satisfied that Tony had no more weapons. He then indicated with Tony's gun for Molly to exit the car as well.

At that point Tony's cell phone began to ring. He knew exactly who it was. He also knew he would have to find a way to get Gibbs to understand the situation without getting them into trouble. Well, at least without getting Molly or Gibby hurt. "Listen. That's my boss and her man. If I don't answer, there is going to be a whole world of hurt raining down on you before you get what you want." Tony hoped he had stressed the point enough to get the guy to let him answer his phone but not antagonize him into the opposite.

"Answer it. But no funny business. Get me?" Just to make his point clear the guy pointed his gun at Molly. "One word about what's going on and she will be hurt."

Tony went for his phone slowly. He flipped it open and put it to his ear. "Hey Jethro. What's up buddy?" Tony tried hard to make it sound natural that he was using Gibbs name.

"Tony? What the-? Let me talk to Molly." Gibbs gut was screaming that something was wrong. Tony never used his name. Always Boss. And Buddy? Really?

"Yeah we had a great time. Was nothing like "Fire in the Sky" you know, but still an interesting subject. Can't talk to Molly right now because she's not feeling good Leroy. But we are going to stop and check her emails at her office. Right. Has some important business she has to tend to before Monday's press conference. Then I'll bring her home safe. Ok I will tell her that her love maniac says he loves her but seriously that's a little weird. Yeah her Cameo was amazing. Really got that political media message across. Ok Jethro gotta go."

Tony kept his eyes on the bastard who held a gun trained on Molly. He looked for any sign to tell him if the guy bought it or not. He prayed the guy did not catch on to how awkward that one sided conversation was. If anything happened to Molly a head slap would be the least of his problems. He would not have to worry about that because he would die before anything happened to her. "Very good." The man smiled as he shoved Tony and Molly towards the Tahoe. "Oh before I forget." He took the cell phone out of Tony's hand and tossed it by the side of the road.

As they pulled away the kidnapper hit the switch in his hand and transformed the Cadillac into a ball of flames. All Tony could do was hope that someone made sure Abby dusted his cell phone for prints once Gibbs had McGee tracked his cell. In order for that to happen, Gibbs had to figure out what he was trying to tell him. Until they stopped moving Tony could not figure out an escape. He could not risk Molly's safety. The best thing to do was comply. 

"DiNozzo, what the hell is wrong with you? Don't you- DAMMIT!" Gibbs slammed the phone shut. What the hell was wrong with DiNozzo? Why would Molly have to go back to the White House? She was on maternity leave as of tonight. Something was wrong. Very wrong. He opened the phone again and hit a speed dial number on his phone. McGee answered the phone on the third ring. "McGee I need you in the office now. Something is wrong with Tony and he's with Molly."

"What is it boss?" The young man began to throw a pair of jeans over his boxers.

"Don't know McGee. Just hurry. I'm calling Ziva." Gibbs hung up and made a similar call to his newest but highly skilled agent. By the time the call was over Gibbs was already on the road in the Charger headed for NCIS headquarters. He tried calling Molly's office just in case they really were headed there but that resulted exactly the way he knew it would. The call went to voicemail.

He would have tried her cell but knew better. It was sitting on his dinner table. She never took her cell phone to these functions. Her purse was too small for it she explained. This had been a source of contention with them on a couple of occasions. He tried to quote rule number three to her. Someone should never be unreachable. She pointed out that she was the Press Secretary and the White House knew where she was at all times. She was always reachable just not by phone. Even tonight she pointed out that Tony would have his phone and he could reach her on that if he needed to. Next time he was going to put a tracking device on her ankle. See how she liked that accessory!

"Yeah. Gibbs." The agent answered his phone when it rang and broke the silence in the car.

"Boss, I am almost at the office. Anything you want me to start on when I get there?" It was McGee. "Possibly start tracing Tony's cell?" McGee thought that if Gibbs did not know what the problem was then he probably did not know where Tony was. But he also did not want to assume anything.

"Yeah McGee. That's a good start. Call me when you got something if I am not there yet. I should be there in less than five." Gibbs hung up the phone and speed dialed Tony's phone for the third time. There was still no answer. "DAMMIT!" Gibbs hit the steering wheel as he pulled into the parking lot at the Navy Yard.

"Boss, I was just about to call you." McGee's head popped up when he heard the elevator ding. "I traced Tony's cell to Fort Davis Drive in the Fort Davis Park. If he doesn't have his cell on his person it may be hard to find. That park is a lot of forest. I am sending the coordinates to your phone now." McGee's fingers flew over his keyboard.

"That's good work McGee. Gonna take Ziva with me." Both men looked up as Ziva and Abby entered the bullpen together. "You and Abby need to work on figuring out what the hell Tony was talking about when I called him." Gibbs recounted word for word the conversation Tony had had with himself while Gibbs had him on the phone. McGee typed out the message in order to look back at it without missing anything.

"Oh Gibbs." Abby's hands went up to her mouth. She did not want to be the one to break the news to Gibbs. But she also knew someone had to. "'Fire in the Sky' is about an alien abduction. I don't think Tony meant that he was being abducted by actual aliens. I mean he could have been but I really don't think-" She stopped and her heart broke when she saw the fear and anger in Gibbs eyes. "Tony and Molly have been abducted."

"I knew it!" Gibb's hand slammed on his desk and everyone jumped at the noise. "Ziva you're with me. McGee I think the answer is in Molly's emails at work. Why else would he say they were going to check her emails? I want you to get in there and read them. He said something about maniac lover. Look for anything that seems remotely like a stalker." Gibbs boarded the elevator with a quiet Ziva in tow. She knew there was nothing she could say that would console Gibbs. It would be an insult to even try.

McGee looked over at Abby. "Does he really want me to hack into the White House email account?" He knew the answer before he asked the question but was still dumbfounded.

"McGee- Tony, Molly and Gibby are missing. You have to do it. He can't lose another agent. You know what it did to him when we lost Kate. Scratch that. We can't let him lose another family. He won't survive that." She rubbed his shoulders as he took a deep breath and began typing. "Email me that message from Tony so I can start deciphering."

McGee's fingers had never moved so fast in his life. It was not like the everyday case. While lives often depended on how fast he could work the system, this was different. This was family. Tony was a brother to him. Yeah he constantly picked on McGee but there was no doubt that he would not be the agent he was today if it had not been for Tony. Then there was Molly. Abby was right. Gibbs would never survive losing another family. Losing an agent is a risk in the job. Losing the woman and unborn child you loved was a different matter all together. The fact was, that they all liked Molly. She had fit into the dynamic of their group instantly.


	4. Chapter 4

_Molly was guided through the bullpen towards the elevator by Leroy's hand on the small of her back. She had decided that she was going to call him by his first name since no one else seemed to call him that and she wanted to make sure she stood out in the crowd. She looked around taking in all the busy agents when she heard a loud voice from above her. "Molly, you really were not going to walk through my building and not stop to say hello were you?" Molly turned and saw Leon headed down the main stair case from the mezzanine._

"_Absolutely not." She hugged him when she got to him. Gibbs took this opportunity to grab his coat off of his chair. "In fact, I was just in your office and your assistant told me you were in MTAC and could not be disturbed. Since I was told by Leroy that was a restricted area I decided to leave you a note." She patted him on the cheek and smiled. "I am stealing your agent for an early lunch. It will be quick. I promise to return him to his desk ASAP."_

"_Have you been introduced to Gibbs' Team?" Leon nodded at the three agents sitting at their desks. He took pleasure in knowing that introducing Molly to the team would be uncomfortable for Gibbs since he was so big about keeping his private life private._

"_I have not. However, I bet you won't even have to tell me who is who." She turned to McGee's desk first. "You must be Special Agent Timothy McGee. I have heard that when it comes to technology, you are the one the criminal needs to stump and you have yet to meet your match." Timothy sat up straighter and smiled. Molly tuned to Ziva next. "Special Agent Ziva David. I owe you a thank you. Leroy tells me that your keen senses and skills learned in your years at Mossad has prevented many perpetrators from getting the jump on your team and has saved their butts more than once." Ziva bowed her head graciously. "Finally," Molly turned towards Tony's desk. "Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo."_

_Tony stood up and walked towards Molly. He had a huge smile on his face. He could not wait to hear what Gibbs had been saying about him. The boss man rarely sang anyone's praises other than the usual "good work". He was excited that the team was hearing what Gibbs really felt were their strengths. "And what did Boss have to say about me?"_

"_Something about having to head slap you so many times he is afraid he may cause brain damage." Tony's face fell as the rest of the team looked away from Tony to hide their smirks. "No I'm kidding Tony. I am told that while everyone's skills on the team are needed it is refreshing to know that someone still believes in following their instincts and working a case with good old fashion police work." Tony smiled and sat back at his desk._

"_Can I get lunch now Leon or do we start Show-and-Tell next?" Gibbs looked over at his superior. He and Molly had only been seeing each other a month. He would have introduced Molly to the group eventually. But it was more fun to keep them guessing for a while. It kept them on their toes and was one of the few pleasures he got in life. He was annoyed that Leon took it upon himself to ruin his fun._

"_Molly I will catch up with you later. Jackie wants to have you over for brunch one of these days." He nodded at Gibbs. _

_Gibbs began to once again guide Molly to the elevator. "Do you know how many head slaps it's gonna take to get his ego back in check?" he asked Molly loud enough so DiNozzo could hear it as they entered the elevator._

_Tony looked at the Director. "So she knows who we are, and she knows Gibbs, and she clearly knows you and the wife…. Are we allowed to be included in the loop? Clearly she isn't here to talk to Gibbs about a case."_

"_You are correct there DiNozzo. She is no case. She is Molly Rydell, Press Secretary to the White House." Vance had watched as the couple boarded the elevator._

"_She's dating Gibbs?" Tony laughed in disbelief. "She is so..." Tony searched for a word. "young and, well, blond. What is she? Maybe 35?"_

"_I will tell you what she is. She is the one female on earth I would say could truly hold her own with Gibbs. God help him. He will be eating out of her hands before he knows it." Leon turned and headed back up the stairs._

"_McGoogle!" Tony turned towards McGee whose hands were already working the keys. Tony knew before McGee said anything that he was already one step ahead of him. Tony was so proud of his probie._

"_On it Tony." McGee got up and stood in front of the plasma screen as Tony and Ziva meet him there. Tim clicked through the screens. "Molly Rydell, Press Secretary to the White House. She is 32 years old. She is single, never been married and zero children. Grandfather was Navy. Father died of lung cancer two years ago. Mother died one year ago from a brain aneurysm. No siblings. She grew up in Chicago. She has a double BA in both Communications and Journalism and a Masters in Communications. She has been working for the President since his first campaigns for local office. For her loyalty all these years she was rewarded by becoming the youngest Press Secretary in US History. She currently lives in Georgetown."_

"_I would say Gibbs is stealing the cradle a bit is he not?" Ziva asked looking back between the two men on either side of her._

"_Robbing Ziva. Gibbs is robbing the cradle." Tony corrected Ziva. "And I say Good for Him!" Tony emphasized his approval with a nod of his head to Tim. "But am I the only one who finds the irony in the fact that Gibbs is dating someone with a Masters in Communication?"_

_All three were back to work when Gibbs returned thirty minutes later. He had a bag in hand. He planted it on Tony's desk. "Lunch." He said as he replaced his jacket at his desk._

"_Thanks Gibbs." Ziva made her way to Tony's desk. She began to remove sandwiches and chips from the deli down the street. _

"_Don't thank me." Gibbs shrugged._

_Tony grabbed the note that was stapled to the bag and read it aloud. "It was so nice to meet you all. Hope you will join me some weekend for a lunch at my home in Georgetown. Set it up with Leroy. Enjoy Lunch. Molly." _

"_Please pass on our thanks Boss." Tim said as he took his lunch back to his desk._

"_She lives in Georgetown huh Boss? Nice neighborhood." DiNozzo crumpled up the bag and threw it into McGee's trash without looking._

"_Well yeah DiNozzo. Didn't McGee add that into his presentation for you when you had him look her up while I was gone?" Gibbs said this as he placed his gun in his drawer of his desk._

_Tony stopped mid bite. Of course Gibbs would know about that. Why wouldn't he? He knows everything. "He must have skipped that part Boss."_

Tony looked out the window as the Tahoe made its way through the city. It wrenched his gut when they drove past the Navy Yard. "Gibbs is gonna be pissed," he mumbled under his breath. There was no doubt in his mind that the boss was on his way for them as soon as he could figure out where they were. He was just hoping he could figure out a way to get them out of this mess before Gibbs had to save them himself.

"Tony, it's not your fault." Molly patted a hand on his thigh. "The Secret Service is supposed to put any driver hired by the car service we use through strict scrutiny. If this guy got through without sending up a red flag then how were you supposed to know something was wrong?"

"Gibbs would have known." Tony ran his hand over his face.

"Leroy helped me into the car Tony. He had no idea. If he had any bad feeling he would have never let me get into that Escalade. You know that. Beating yourself up is not going to get us out of this mess."

"You're right Molly." The voice came from the front seat. "Only the release of the information we want is going to get you out of this."

Molly suddenly became angry. Her abdomen was tightening at regular intervals every 10 minutes or so. She had been abducted by some conspiracy theory nut. She had no idea where they were headed and she was pretty sure the nut's plan was not to send her, Tony, or her baby home alive. She was scared. She did not do well when she was scared and that just made her plain angry. "You know what nut job?" Tony's head snapped up to look at her. "Half the information you want released only exists in your fucked up mind. The other half is classified for a reason. The President is not going to risk American lives just so you and your warped clan can-"

"Molly!" Tony threw his hand over her mouth. He knew that the chances of them getting out alive were slim. If the "nut job" was planning on releasing them he would have never allowed them to see his face or allow them to see where their destination was. He would never chance that they would be able to lead the authorities back to him. He also knew that if Molly pissed the guy off that slim chance would shrink to no chance. "With all due respect, you need to shut up. You want to talk about getting us out of this mess? You running your mouth is gonna hurt that way more than me beating myself up. I am not gonna take the chance that you get hurt and I get Gibbs' boot up my ass because you had to shoot off at the mouth. Do I make myself clear?"

Molly's eyes showed nothing but fear. She nodded the answer to his question since he still had his hand over her mouth. When he was sure she was willing to comply he removed the hand from her mouth. "Sorry. I am used to using my words in political war. Guess that's useless this time."


	5. Chapter 5

The dark blue Charger came to a sliding halt when the headlights brought the burned out shell of an SUV into view. Bits and pieces were strewn all about. The shell was still steaming but the fire seemed to have burned itself out. It was clear by looking at it that someone had attempted to blow it up. They only partially succeeded. The person must have been an amateur. Anyone with real bomb making experience would have easily made sure there was nothing left of it.

Gibbs and Ziva got out of the car. Both seemed to be holding their breath as they approached the charred remains. Both released a sigh of relief when they saw that the vehicle was empty and did not contain bodies. Gibbs pulled his cell phone out of the pocket of his green Carhartt jacket. He again hit the dial number for Tony's cell. A ring and a glow came from the direction of a patch of snow near the SUV. Gibbs ran over and almost grabbed the cell phone. "Ziva, get the kit out of the trunk."

As Ziva ran for the Charger Gibbs again opened his cell phone. There were two calls he had to make. He dialed the first. "Hey Abs. Has McGee got anything for me?"

Abby looked across the bullpen as McGee's fingers still clicked over his keyboard. "McGee, its Gibbs."

"I am into the White House Server. I am attempting to get into the email program and will use a password program to hack into her account when I do." McGee did not once take his eyes off the screen to answer the question.

"He's almost in Gibbs. Did you find Tony or the cell?" She was trying to hide the worry in her voice. She wanted to be supportive for Gibbs but he knew her better than anyone and she knew he could hear everything she was trying to hide.

"Abs I need you to grab some equipment and get down here. Found the SUV that took them to Ford's tonight. It's charred to a crisp. Looks like an amateur attempt at a bomb. There are no bodies." He quickly adding the last sentence before Abby could interrupt him with more concern. He just did not have time for concern. "Secret Service is gonna be stepping into this as soon as they figure out Molly is gone Abs. I want what we can get out of this car before they do. It's gonna take too much time to have it towed to you."

"On it Gi-" The phone went dead in Abby's ear. She hated when he did that but knew she had to forgive him this time.

Gibbs took a deep breath. The next call was the one he did not want to have to make. He was going to have to call Vance. There was a missing agent. Molly was a close friend of his. But beyond that, Gibbs knew there was going to be a showdown between Secret Service and NCIS on who was going to take this investigation. There was going to be a war over evidence and leads. Neither agency played well with others. Gibbs was going to need Vance for that fight. He didn't have time to play politics. He needed to find his family.

Ziva made her way back over to Gibbs. "Make sure you bag Tony's cell. I doubt he threw it on his own accord. May have the suspect's prints on it." Ziva nodded as she began putting gloves on. "Also there are tire marks over here near the Escalade. Make sure you get those as well." Gibbs then walked towards the Charger and dialed Vance's number. "Leon, we have a situation."

When Vance arrived at the scene Abby and Ziva were busy going through what they could of the SUV. Gibbs was taking as many pictures as he could. He was trying to keep busy all the while waiting for his cell phone to ring. He was hoping McGee would call any minute. "What do we got so far?" Vance asked as the cab pulled away.

"It's definitely the Cadillac that took them tonight. Found DiNozzo's cell over there. There are tire tracks from another vehicle here. The bomb did not destroy the whole SUV but took pretty much any evidence there was with it. McGee is back at the office working on hacking-"

Vance threw his hand up. "I do not want to know or hear what McGee is working on. I think it's better if I don't."

As if on cue, Gibb's cell phone rang. A glance at the ID told Gibbs it was McGee. "What ya got McGee?"

"I'm in Boss. There does not appear to be any emails from any stalker. I went through all her deleted emails too. I have something else though. Tony said something about Molly's cameo in the movie and mentioned the political media message. She has received emails from a group called CAMS. Citizens Against Media Suppression. They were threatening some kind of action if she did not release certain information to the media." The ding of the elevator in the office made McGee look up from his computer. Two men exited and just by looking at them McGee knew who they were.

"That's good work McGee. Start looking into-"

"Uh Boss?" McGee sounded very nervous all of a sudden. His voice dropped to a whisper. "The Secret Service is here. I may have tripped something off when I hacked into the White House."

"Put them in the conference room. Tell them Vance is on his way. Do not say anything more than that McGee. Shut down your computer and go lock yourself in Abby's lab and keep working. Do not answer their questions. Do you understand me McGee?" Gibbs could hear another man's voice in the background on the other end of the line. "McGee do you hear me?"

"Got it Boss. But- uh- can you hurry?"

Gibbs hung up his phone. "Secret Service is waiting for us. McGee is putting them in the conference room.

Vance followed him to the Charger. "And he is locking himself in the lab because?"

"He may have tipped them off when he hacked into-" Vance's hand went up again. "Well ya asked Leon. Either way I don't want them interrogating my agent without me there. Last time McGee was interrogated he admitted to murder."

"Guess I am riding back with you Abby," Ziva said when she saw the two men get in the Charger and leave. "I will start boxing up the evidence." _Not that there is much, _Ziva added in her mind. She looked up strangely at Abby when she heard the scientist start to giggle. "What is so funny Abby?"

"I was just thinking of the ride home the night we took Molly out for a Girl's Night." Ziva smiled as well as she began closing up the kit and they loaded up Abby's car. 

"_Thanks for coming to come get us Timmy." Abby planted a kiss on the agent's cheek. She had convinced Ziva that they needed to take Molly out for a Girl's Night. Gibbs had been seeing Molly for nearly 3 months. They had spent time with her as part of the group and she seemed cool. However, Abby was very protective of Gibbs and she needed to know Molly was being real. The best way to see someone's true self was to get them hammered. Or at least that was Abby's way of thinking. _

_Molly had said yes instantly to the invitation much to Gibbs dismay. He knew how the girls of his team could be. Crazy. Yet Molly insisted that she wanted to fit in with the group of people who not only got to share most of Gibbs' time but were also the closest to him. They were the closest thing to family he had and she wanted to get to know them all._

_Of course all the women had had too much to drink to drive home. McGee had volunteered earlier in the day to come get them if they needed a ride. Molly had never been much of a drinker. She was more of a wine kind of gal. So when Ziva and Abby started her with drinks like "Irish Car Bombs" she knew she was in trouble. But she insisted on holding her own. She was now stumbling drunk being supported by Tim as he helped her into the front seat. "You know Gibbs is going to kill you two," he added looking at Ziva and Abby as he shut the car door._

_Abby had gotten most of what she hoped to achieve out of the night. She really liked Molly. She was legit nice and got this look in her eye whenever she mentioned Gibbs. She clearly was head over heels for the silver haired Marine. That made Abby happy. Molly had even somehow survived the anniversary of Shannon and Kelly's death. The team was lucky if they made it through that day alive. None of Gibbs' relationships ever had. _

_Abby thought this was the perfect opportunity to get some answers to some questions she had always had about Gibbs but never had the relationship with any of Gibbs' women to ask. "So Molly one time Gibbs was interrogating the DC Madam Holly Snow. You would not believe what she asked him. She was like 'You like it rough don't you Agent Gibbs?" and I thought for sure Gibbs wouldn't answer the question. He looks her dead in the eye and says 'there's a time and a place for everything.' So can I ask you? Does he like it rough? I've always wondered."_

"_Abby!" Tim's face turned red. "Gibbs is going to kill you!"_

"_First of all Tim Gibbs would never kill me. I'm his favorite. Second of all, if she doesn't want to answer that's fine. If she does, I'm not going to tell him I asked. Are you?"_

_Molly's was just plain drunk and she knew it. She knew she was going to say something she shouldn't but couldn't stop herself. "Have you ever watched him work on his projects in the basement?"_

"_Of course." Abby answered a bit disappointed. She did not think Molly was going to answer her question and thought this was Molly's way of changing the subject._

"_That's what he's like in bed. He can be forceful and strong or smooth and gentle. Each touch is deliberate and moves towards the end result which is always a beautifully crafted experience."_

"_Wow." Abby was in a bit of awe. Even drunk the chick had a way with words. "I think that's a tie Ziva. No one wins."_

"_I agree Abby." Ziva nodded._

"_Are you two seriously betting on what kind of lover Gibbs is? Really?" Tim's face was now scarlet with embarrassment. _

"_Does he talk a lot in bed?" Ziva asked. She had imagined him being just as silent in bed as he was throughout the day. Abby on the other hand imagined him being a dirty talker._

"_Trust me Ziva, words are not needed." Molly slurred._

"_Dammit." Abby dug her wallet out and fished out a twenty for Ziva._

"_And neither are accessories." Molly threw out just in case they were wondering. She then closed her eyes and put her head back._

"_Double Dammit." Abby pulled out another twenty._

"_Thank God. We're here Molly." Tim looked over at Molly. She was snoring a little bit. He got out of the car. He jogged up the steps to the house and knocked on the door before entering. "Uh Boss?"_

"_Living room McGee." Gibbs voice came from the couch where he was reading._

"_Hey Boss. The girls called for a ride home. I got Molly in the car and well… she needs a little help. She's passed out in the front seat of my car Boss."_

_Gibbs got up from the couch and followed McGee out to the car. Ziva and Abby were in the backseat with guilty looks on their faces. He was sure that it was not simply because they had managed to get Molly wasted. He was also sure he really did not want to ask what they had to feel guilty about. He picked Molly up out of the seat. When he straightened she put her arm around his neck and curled her head up to his chest and sighed. She was going to be so hung-over in the morning. McGee opened the front door of the house once again to let Gibbs in. "Thanks Tim."_

"_No problem boss." Tim returned to his car and sternly lectured Abby all the way to her apartment. Not that it did any good except make him feel better._


	6. Chapter 6

Vance and Gibbs walked into the conference room once they got to NCIS. Two men in dark suits sat at the long table. Both rose as the men walked in. "Director Vance. I am Tom Kennedy and this is James Seymour. We are from the Secret Service." Both men shook Vance's hand. Gibb's hung back by the door. "We actually called your home first but your wife informed us that you had already been called into work. We came here right after that. I assume you already know about the situation?" All three men sat down when Vance gestured towards the chairs the men had been sitting in.

"How about you brief me on this situation and then I can comment." Vance unwrapped the toothpick he had taken from his pocket and stuck it in his teeth.

"Okay. About 90 minutes ago, around 0030 hours the White House received a call. The caller said they had abducted the Press Secretary to the White House Molly Rydell. Since then we have attempted to reach her on her phone several times and it has gone straight to voicemail. When we set up the car and driver for her this evening we were under the impression that she was going to be escorted by NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. We were hoping to find out if you all are able to locate him. It's our last effort to dispel the caller's claim. If you cannot locate him than we are going to take further action under the assumption that the abduction of Ms Rydell has actually occurred."

"That all you got? Who kidnapped them? What do they want? How did they get to them?" Vance began throwing questions out once Kennedy stopped talking.

"The caller refused to identify any group or demands. They said they would call back at 0300 and issue their demands once we had time to verify she was missing. We have sent a car over to her home in Georgetown and she is not there. However, we have been told that it is not uncommon for her to spend her nights in the Capitol Hill District with an Agent Gibbs. I am told she is carrying his child." Seymour looked to Vance as if only he could confirm the last statement. "We sent a car to his home but there was no answer."

Vance looked over at his agent. He could see Gibbs' jaw clench and unclench. Vance thought he was going to come flying across the room at the mention of his unborn son. Vance could not blame the man. There was nothing he would not do to protect his own family. He could only imagine what Gibbs would do to protect his second chance at a family and a member of his team. It had to make Gibbs' blood boil when the agents refused to acknowledge the kidnapping of DiNozzo. In fact, they only time they mentioned him was to inquire where he was. "We are aware that both Ms. Rydell and Agent DiNozzo have been abducted. It is our belief that the driver of their car was involved."

"How do you know? Were you contacted by the same people we were?" Seymour looked almost shocked that Vance could offer insight into the situation.

"We were contacted by Agent DiNozzo. He was under duress at the time and gave a very cryptic message before hanging up. A trace of his cell brought us to the Escalade they were taken to the theatre in. It is completely burned out. There was no sign of the driver and since no one has called you all with the driver being unconscious it is safe to figure he was involved-"

"We want that vehicle and any evidence you got from it." Kennedy interrupted in a tone that was all too demanding for Vance's liking.

"The evidence is already being processed and you will have access to the findings once our lab is finished. As for the vehicle, we knew you would want that so it's sitting downstairs in the garage and you can have it towed out of here at your convenience." Vance looked again to Gibbs and saw the rare sight of approval in his eye.

"Need I remind you that Molly Rydell is a White House Official and it is our job to investigate this? You have no right to keep us from that evidence." Kennedy's voice was rising and Vance did not appreciate it.

"That would be fine if Molly was the only one missing. She is not. You seem to forget that there is an NCIS agent with her in this mess. If Molly is the leverage then that makes Agent DiNozzo extra unneeded trouble. They may kill him just so they don't have to deal with him. He is likely in more danger than she is. Therefore, I have every right to do with that evidence what I wish. Just because you did not do your job does not mean you will dictate how I do mine!" Vance looked over at Gibbs and nodded. If Kennedy continued to argue it was show time.

"Do our jobs? She was under the protection of an NCIS agent when this happened." There it was. It was all Kennedy had to say. Gibbs moved from his spot at the back of the room near the door.

Gibbs felt his heart race. When he saw the nod from Vance he knew he was going to take the anger inside him out on the two morons sitting at the table. "She was escorted by a friend who happened to work for NCIS!" Gibbs slammed his hand on the table. "You knew about this threat for months. She was abducted by CAMS. They have been threatening her by email for two months. We've known that for almost an hour now. How is it the organization she reported it to could not put it together when all we had to do was read the emails?"

"You hacked into the White House email system?" Seymour looked shocked yet again.

"I assure you, he did not hack into anything. We're lucky if we can keep him from taking a baseball bat to his computer once a week." Vance hurriedly interjected before Gibbs got McGee into trouble.

"Why wasn't she under your protection at all times until you caught these sons of bitches? Why weren't we notified about a threat against her when DiNozzo volunteered to escort her tonight?" Gibbs' eyes were piercing a hole through the two secret service men. He dared them to answer.

Kennedy sat up straight and thought it was wise to stand up to the agent standing in front of them. "She told us that she did not need protection since she stays with this Agent Gibbs guy. We checked into his record. It's very impressive. We agreed with her that she would be safe when she was at the White House and at home with him. We assumed Agent DiNozzo was told by Gibbs and Ms Rydell."

"So the Secret Service runs on assumptions? God help the President. Let me tell you how your assumptions have worked out. You assumed that Molly would tell me there was a threat against her." Gibbs got some satisfaction out of watching the light come on in their eyes when they made the connection that they were talking to the Agent Gibbs they had been speaking of. "Molly is stubborn as they come and would not tell me something like that simply because she wouldn't want to worry me. So there's Molly running around here and there with no protection. But you didn't care to know since you assumed that NCIS was taking care of her without verifying anything. Then on the one night you are ordered to keep her safe by the President you once again assume that NCIS was taking care of everything. The kicker is the one part of this night you handle, the one simple thing she needed from you, you hired a driver from a service rather than have an agent drive them. So now that the one small responsibility you had has come around and kicked you in the ass. Now is the point where you want to say NCIS did not do YOUR job well enough? Now you want us to allow you to investigate the disappearance of my family and my agent?"

"If Agent DiNozzo had done his job-" Kennedy stood up.

"It was not Tony's job to die for her! It was yours!" Gibbs was now in the man's face. "That driver was supposed to be the one person he should not have had to view as a threat during the event! Hell, he didn't see anyone as a threat because he didn't even know there was one! Now you want to go take over the investigation to find them? Correction- you want to take over the investigation to find her. If Tony falls victim then so be it right? That is not going to happen. They are ALL coming home to me."

"DiNozzo is an agent. He can take care of himself. We are talking about the Press Secretary to the White House. She is not trained-"

"No we are talking about the mother of my child, my baby, and my agent. My family. I can tell you she will come out of this in one piece and it will be because of my agent. But maybe I have a solution." Gibbs backed off from Kennedy. "You know Vance; I have Molly's cell phone at my house. Maybe I will go home and turn it on. See I think that since these guys are so great at communication I bet no one has called the President in New Hampshire yet. In that cell is the number to his blackberry. Maybe I will go and make a call and see how impressed he is with how well his orders were carried out this evening. Maybe he can decide who gets this investigation."

Seymour's eyes went wide. He did not know how to respond to that. As it was he was afraid of the President's reaction when they had to call him and let him know what had happened. He wished his partner would shut up and take what NCIS had to offer. He did not want anyone making that call to the President before they did.

"Relax Seymour. I won't do it. Know why?" Gibbs again got into Kennedy's face and lowered his voice to almost a whisper. "I don't play politics with my family and I don't leave a man behind."

Gibbs went to walk away when Kennedy murmured, "How very semper fi of you" under his breath. Before his brain could stop him Gibbs felt the crunch of cartilage under his knuckles as his fist connected with Kennedy's nose. Blood instantly began to pour out of the man's nose as he clung to his face. Gibbs felt it was time to make his exit before Vance ordered him out. That was way beyond the plan the two men had made before entering the office.

Seymour took his handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to his partner. "We expect those results as soon as they are done. Any information you come across should be passed to me. Here's my card." He slid a few cards across the table. "If we get anything we will let you know as well."

"That fucker should be pulled off the case. He is too personally involved." Kennedy's voice was muffled through the now blood soaked handkerchief. "His whole team if they can't handle DiNozzo being held with her. They obviously have no regard for the law when it comes to their own. I know you got those emails by hacking into the system. When we find out who-"

"The last time this team was locked out of the resources in this building and taken off an investigation they proved that the murder of an international arms dealer was actually a hit sanctioned by our CIA. They did this out of Gibbs basement using a computer that was 20 years old, some autopsy photos, and the wireless internet signal off of a cell phone. Trust me when I say, they are easier to control when they are working for you not against you. I will let you know as soon as that report is finished." Vance's tone made it clear that the discussion was over.

Once the two men left, Gibbs meet Vance in the hallway. "His nose is probably broken."

"No probably about it Leon. It is definitely broken. I sent word to Abby to lock the lab down. She is not to open it for anyone except the team and you. I don't want to take the chance that these guys are going to try and take the evidence."

"Can I ask you a question?" Gibbs nodded. "You lost your first wife and daughter when they were under the protection of this agency. I know this is gotta be bringing up a lot of stuff for you. Has NCIS changed so much that you put your money on this agency to bring Molly back home safely."

"Nope. My money's on DiNozzo." Gibbs then headed down to Abby's lab.


	7. Chapter 7

Tony looked around the small room he and Molly had been shoved into. It was about ten feet by ten feet. It was a section of the basement of the home they had been brought to in an affluent neighborhood near Bethesda. It looked as if someone just put up some studs and slapped some plywood over it. The door wasn't even a real door. It was two by fours covered on both sides with plywood. Any light in the room would be leaked from the basement light through the spaces between the support beams on the ceiling or the tiny window at the ground level. When the kidnapper had left they turned out the basement light but some light was coming in from the street lights and the moon outside.

The room was sparsely furnished. There were two old stuffed chairs and a full size bed. There were a few bottles of water as well. Tony had been pacing the room trying to find anything that would get them out. If he started breaking the walls down then the kidnapper would come down for sure. He could not risk pissing him off. Neither one of them could fit out the tiny window. If it were during the day he would consider breaking the glass and screaming for help. Doing that at 1am would only accomplish freezing themselves. He had to get them out of there. Gibbs would expect nothing less of him.

"You know that even if they get what they want they are going to kill us if we don't get out of here." Molly finally broke the silence. She had been thinking it a while. She knew Leroy was doing all he could. She knew his team was out there searching for them. She also knew there was very little Tony could do from where they were. "They are not going to allow us to live. If they were going to he would have covered our eyes to make sure we couldn't see where they were keeping us. He would have worn a mask or something to hide his face." Molly rubbed her stomach again as a contraction wreaked havoc on her abdomen. She was not sure how much longer she was going to be able to keep the added pressure of knowing she was in labor off of Tony.

Tony dropped to the chair next to her and took her hand. "Listen Molly, I respect you too much to lie to you. You are right. If they were going to let us live they would have done those things. With that said you have to understand how Boss works. He will not allow us to die. He will not lose you and this baby. Quite frankly Molly, I don't think he will survive it if that's how this ended. Gibbs will do whatever he has to do to get us out of here. Until that happens I am going to do whatever I have to do to keep you comfortable and safe until he gets here." He stood up and pulled her by the hand. "Why don't you lie down and try to sleep. You'll need your rest if I find a way to get us out of here."

Molly stood up and moved towards the bed. "I can lay here all you want but I am not going to be able to sleep Tony. There is only one position I can sleep in and it's not possible here." She took her long jacket off and sat on the bed.

"What? Do you do sleep hanging from the ceiling?" Tony looked confused. "There's a bed. You can situate yourself in any position. Whatever you have to do to get some sleep."

"I have not slept in my own townhouse in a month Tony. You want to know why? Because I can only sleep with Leroy cuddled up behind me with his hand rubbing my belly until I fall asleep. If he moves from that spot I wake up. It's quite frustrating for him because when he has a hard time sleeping he can't go work in the basement or I'm awake." Molly pulled the covers down and lay on her side facing Tony. "If I have a hard day at work I go home and soak in my massive whirlpool tub. I then get in my pajamas and drive to Leroy's house. Seeing me waddle into his house in my pajamas and coat is the only part he finds amusing."

"I'm sure it doesn't bother him that bad Molly. He will happily do whatever you need him to do. I can't tell you how happy he has been since the news that Gibby was on the way."

"I know he will do whatever I need him too. He may even be all too happy to do it. Does not mean he likes to lie there all night looking around the room when he could be down working on a project until he passes out. Either way, whether he likes it or not, it's what I need and since he is not here I am not going to be able to sleep."

"Ok. I know I'm not Gibbs but I am going to give it a shot." Tony crawled up behind Molly from the foot of the bed.

"Really Tony you don't have to do this. I know it must be weird. I can just rest. I don't have to sleep." Molly felt bad for Tony. It would have to be uncomfortable cuddling up to your boss' pregnant girlfriend. Especially when your boss was Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

"Boss is already gonna beat me into next week for this whole situation. If I don't try to keep you comfortable it's just going to be worse." He put his arm over her side and began to rub her large belly. "I can't help but think how great it is that Gibbs is going to be a father again. He is great with kids. We all knew he was a natural father. Made the whole Kelly and Shannon situation much sadder."

"He was so resigned to the idea that he was never going to get to be a father again. I am so happy to be able to give him this gift Tony. Really there is no one on this earth who deserves it more. I think you all already knew that though." Molly sighed as Tony continued to rub her belly.

After a few minutes Tony noticed a change in Molly's breathing and in her abdomen. Her breathes became shallow as her abdomen became hard under his hand. "Molly, um, I'm not expert but are you by chance having contractions?" He felt her nod her head. She was trying to control her breathing. "Okay. Take my hand." He offered his hand out and she grabbed it and squeezed as she worked through the pain. Tony just prayed that this did not mean what he thought it meant. Once her abdomen softened under his other hand he asked, "How long has this been happening? What kind of scenario are we looking at Molly? I need to know."

"I have been having contractions all night really. My water broke when I we were first dealing with the kidnapper in the Escalade." She felt Tony take in a sharp breathe. "It's okay Tony we have hours I'm sure. The contractions are far apart. It's only been three hours since it broke. Long labors run in the family. I will be fine."

"Why didn't you tell me Molly?" Tony moved back to rubbing her belly. He wasn't sure who it was relaxing more.

"You are already freaking out about what was going to happen when Leroy got here. You are worried he is going to blame you which he is not. You are worried about getting us out of here so that maybe you can save face in front of Leroy which you do not need to do. I did not want to add the pressure of knowing I am in labor on you." It all made logical sense to her.

"You are a female Gibbs. Plain and simple. Always out to protect everyone else and not once think about the consequences to yourself. Well I have to say two things. First of all it's frustrating as hell for the people who love you. Second, you all need to start thinking of yourselves because you have a baby to stay well for. You are not the only ones who the consequences of your actions effect."

Molly knew Tony was right. She was always willing to take the burden when it came to those she loved. That was one of the reasons it had taken her three months to tell Leroy she was pregnant. But with Gibby on the way things would have to change soon. She thought that may come more naturally to Leroy. She was unsure how she was going to manage it for herself.

_Molly stood in the kitchen of her townhouse cutting up vegetables for a salad when she heard the front door close. She knew it was Leroy. She had called him earlier to see if he wanted to have dinner at her place tonight. He had closed his case by late afternoon and called to say he would be running late due to paperwork. She had postponed dinner until she got his call saying he was on his way. The delay to dinner was a blessing and a curse. She had news for him but was unsure how he was going to take it. His late arrival had given her more time to think and more time to worry._

_His hand came from behind her and took a cherry tomato out of the carton and popped it into his mouth. He then placed a kiss on her cheek. "Smells good." _

"_Me or the dinner?" She laughed as his breath tickled her ear._

"_Both." He walked over to the fridge and opened the door. He grabbed one of the beers she kept stocked just for him and twisted the cap off. "How was your day?"_

"_You know the usual. Press briefing, listen to Fox News bitch for half the morning, releasing the President's vacation schedule for next month, wondering how I can finagle my way into the vacation…" she started laughing at her last item on her list. "Yours? You said you got your guy."_

"_The usual. Avoiding the press at the scene, listen to Vance bitch half the morning, releasing nothing since I'm in the catching business not the releasing business, and trying to finagle my way into the President's vacation." He smirked at her. She loved that smirk. The half grin he gave when he found something amusing. All though, when she could get a full smile out of him, she swore every bone in her body just melted._

_Gibbs watched her as she finished mixing the salad. She had told him over the phone she had something she needed to discuss with him. He hated it when women needed to discuss something. Very rarely was it good. But Molly seemed like she was in her usual good mood. It couldn't be all that life altering could it? He assisted her in moving all the food to the already set dinner table. He watched as she grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. This was becoming a regular habit for her. She used to drink wine with dinner but he had not seen her drink wine in ages. He would have to ask her about it. Maybe she was on some health kick campaign that the First Lady was promoting. It would make sense. He had noticed she had put on a few pounds lately but hell would freeze over before he said anything. Not that there was anything to say. She still turned him on just by walking into the room._

_Molly took a breath and decided she was just going to spit it out. She was not going to delay it any longer. She was originally going to wait until after dinner but her stomach was doing flip flops as it was. She wasn't going to be able to eat until it was out of the way. She watched Leroy scoop potatoes on his plate. She hoped he would be there to finish them once the conversation was over. "So I wanted to talk to you about something. And, uh, I know you hate rambling but you need me to let me get everything I need to say out before you respond. Ok?"_

_Gibbs looked at her and nodded. His blue eyes gave away a look of concern. She did not want to keep him in suspense. It wasn't fair. With three ex-wives, she could only imagine how many terrible conversations he had had that started out with the sentence she had just started with. "So I have news and I'm not sure how you are going to take it." She pressed on. It was going to have to be like removing a band-aid. Just rip it off. "I just need you to know that I want your honest response. I don't want what you think you should do, or what society dictates you should do. I want your honest feelings. I am a big girl and I can take whatever you have to say. You are not going to hurt my feelings. You have a right to feel whatever you may feel. Ok?" Again a nod. "Leroy." She closed her eyes and took a breath. "I'm pregnant." When she opened her eyes and looked at him it was the first time she could not tell what he was thinking by looking into his eyes. "I need you to know that it is yours. I have not been with anyone else. I did not intend for this to happen. I was unsure how it could have happened until recently. They actually just issued a recall on my birth control last week and I had a batch that was in the recalled lot. I have decided to keep the baby. Really, for me, there is no other option. However, I want you to do what you feel is right for you. You can be as active or inactive in this baby's life has you want. I will absolutely not hold it against you if you walk out now. This was not an intentional thing. We were careful. I know it was not your intention of having a child with me and that's why if you want out I understand." She took a deep breath. She felt like she had rushed through the last "disclaimers" without breathing in between. "Okay. I'm done."_

_Leroy put his fork down and sat looking at her. Had he heard her correctly? Of all the things he had run through his mind he "didn't think it would be that." He took a breath when he realized he had said the last part out loud. She sat there looking back at him. She looked so forlorn. She was honestly unsure of what he was going to do. This was the first time he had ever seen her unsure of anything. He did not like it. He did the only thing he could think of. He stood up and pulled her out of her chair. He wrapped her in an embrace and kissed the forlorn off her face. He felt the tension in her body melt away. When he stepped back he was smiling and he felt like his heart was going to burst with happiness. "I know this was not the plan. I would never question your motives and morals. I'm not concerned with all that stuff you felt like you needed to add on. I am concerned that you thought I may walk out of here and not look back. I would hope you would know me better than that." He sat back down at his place at the table but kept her hand in his._

"_I hoped you would want to do this with me. But I needed it to be because you wanted to Leroy. Not because you had to." She reached out from underneath her cloth placemat and pulled out two slips of black and white paper. She handed them to him. They were her sonograms._

"_Wait, you have these already? How far along are we in this process Molly?" He looked at the pictures she had handed in awe._

"_14 weeks." This was the part she knew he was going to have the issue with. She had kept this in for three months. Leroy did not like secrets. This was the biggest secret possible. She hoped he could understand her reasons._

"_Molly, that's over three months. You can't tell me you just found out. These are dated over the last two months." Leroy ran his finger over the spot where the arrow was pointing on the picture._

"_Miscarriages in the first trimester run high in my family. I was afraid to tell you just to have the pregnancy end like that. I did not want to see you have to go through the loss of another child Leroy. I couldn't do that to you. I couldn't do that to us." She lowered her eyes to her plate and pushed some of her chicken around._

_Gibbs could not believe she would be willing to go through a miscarriage by herself in order to protect him from the loss of a child. The last woman he was in a relationship with that would protect him like that was Shannon. His breath hitched when he thought of her and Kelly. A pang of guilt hit him for a brief second. He pushed it down. Not this time. They would want him to be happy. Shannon would want him to give his second child the life he failed to provide for Kelly. No, this was okay. "Molly, I get you were trying to protect me. I really do. From now on, we are doing this together. No secrets anymore. Even if you think you are protecting me." He watched as she nodded and took her hand. "Now, what about us?"_

"_Us? I thought we were good Leroy. Isn't that what you just said?" A look of concern came over her face. _

"_I mean, what are we going to do? Do you want to get married?" He did not mean it to come out as insincere as it did. He knew it was old fashioned but some women felt the need to get married prior to the arrival of a child._

"_That depends Leroy. Did you have the intention of coming here and proposing to me tonight? I mean if there was no baby?" She was not being sarcastic. It was an honest question. She expected the honest answer._

"_No." It was a simple answer. He knew she would not take it personal. She wasn't that type of woman. It was one of the many ways she was different from the rest of the women in his life._

"_Good because I would have had to say no. Six months is not a long time to have been together. I do not want to rush you or me into anything. A baby is not a reason to change that. It would be for the wrong reason. I have no intention of being your fourth."_

"_You would be the fifth Mrs. Gibbs." He smiled._

"_I meant I have no intention of becoming the fourth Ex Mrs. Gibbs." She patted his hand. "I like how things are now Leroy. I like how we are progressing. I say we just stay the course and the baby is a bonus. But this does mean you are going to have to put a nursery in that house somewhere." She smiled and turned to mush as the huge grin returned to his face._


	8. Chapter 8

Gibbs knocked on the metal door of Abby's lab. Abby opened the door after confirming it was Gibbs on the other side. She was afraid Gibbs would be down already. She and the others had nothing for him. She and Ziva had just gotten back from the scene of the car fire. Ziva and McGee were emptying the box of evidence onto her lab table. Gibbs said the same thing he always said when he entered her lab. "What ya got for me Abs?"

Abby's eyes sank to the floor. She couldn't look him in the eyes. She couldn't see the hurt, fear, and anger all brewing there. "Nothing yet Gibbs. We just got back. I mean we have what we collected but no information for you yet. We have Tony's cell which of course you know because you found it. We are going to run any prints I can get off of it. We have bits of a detonator. I am going to look for any specialty parts on it that we may be able to trace to a buyer. We have the remains of the tags and the VIN plate off the SUV. Those are mangled pretty badly so we are going to try to reconstruct them the best we can to get a registered owner for the vehicle. We also have tire tracks from the scene from a second vehicle. As soon as I get a hit on the type of tire we are looking at I will have a better idea as to the type of vehicle we are looking at. Maybe trace to a buyer if they are a specialty type tire." She took a breath and watched as Gibbs walked over to McGee.

"What did you find out about this CAMS group?" He was looking over all the pieces now lying on the lab table.

"CAMS is a group that believes that the federal government does not have the right to hide any information from the media and the public. They have been emailing Molly now for two months. They want information released regarding specific intelligence being collected at Gitmo and they also believe that the President's office is always being recorded and they want the tapes of the daily business of the President to be released for the nightly news around the nation. Molly had repeatedly explained that Gitmo information is off limits due to national security and that no President since Nixon has taped any conversations in the Oval Office." McGee watched his boss as he stared intently at the website that McGee had put up on the plasma on the wall. "They have approximately 500 members nationwide. 200 or so live in the immediate area."

"Can't you do that thing where you trace the address thing that says what computer the emails came from?" Gibbs was really trying hard to understand how much of this technological stuff would be able to help him get to Molly and Tony. It was not his strong suit.

"I traced each email back to its IP address. They all come from different internet cafes in the city. They come from all over DC Boss. They are not grouped together in a way that it would give us an area to check. I have a call into Metro trying to get them to wrangle up surveillance tapes and sign in logs from the cafes for the dates and times the emails were sent to Molly. They are waking up owners as we speak. We will start looking for similar people."

"What about the email address McGee? Does it have a name on it?" Ziva asked as she began dusting Tony's cell for prints.

"It's a generic free account. I already hacked into it. The only emails coming in and out are those to and from Molly. The name is just the name of the group. There is no other back up email added to the account." McGee sighed. "I am running all the names of the members in the immediate area for records and checking if any members have flown into DC in the last week. That's all I have Boss. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize McGee. You're doing what you can. Keep looking and let me know if anything pops up." Gibbs walked towards the door. "Ziva as soon as you get those tags or VIN-"

"I will run it and get a name for you." She nodded.

"Abby if you get a hit off the prints I need-"

"Gibbs you will know before I do. Like always." She walked up and hugged him. "We will find them Gibbs. I promise. Until then, Tony is taking care of them." She stepped away.

"I know Abs." He turned and walked out the door. She locked down the lab behind him. "Now I know what Tony was talking about after Kate was killed."

"What about after Kate was…?" Ziva looked up from what she was doing. Ziva could not bring herself to say that Kate was shot. It brought up too many feelings about Ari.

"Gibbs was eerily calm." McGee answered. "If this was a normal case he would be yelling at us telling us to work harder. This is how he gets when it's personal. It's personal and effects all of us." McGee continued typing. 

Gibbs walked out of the elevator and into the bullpen. He stopped in the middle of the four desks and then ran his hand over his face. Now, the moment he was alone for the first time since this began, was when all the doubts began to run through his mind. He tried to squash them. He was not going to lose his family. He had complete faith in Tony. But at the same time his track record with women and children was not good.

He was not sure what he would do if he lost them. He could not take losing another family. DiNozzo was included in that family. Losing him would impact him far worse than the loss of any other agent. Tony had had his six for ten years now. There was no way he could handle losing him because he wasn't able to have Tony's this time. Losing Molly and his son was more than his mind could bear. He was finally, after all these years, in a good place. Molly was the reason for that.

For the first time since Shannon he was in love with a woman who did not feel she was in a competition. Really that's what the end of all three of his marriages came down to. None of them felt like they could compete with the other aspects of his life. They could not compete with his job. They could not compete with his past. They could not compete with Shannon. Molly was the first to understand he was not asking anyone to compete with anything.

She did not complain about competing with his job. Sure she had asked that he remember they have a child on the way before he went off and to take a risk he had easily taken many times before. But she never complained about his work schedule. Her own schedule was hectic. She never minded when weekend plans had to be cancelled for a case. It was just the opposite. She took pride in what he did. He knew no matter how rough a case got or how long it was drawn out, she would be there when he got home. He would never come home and find her in bed with the likes of Fornell.

His team loved her. That was another difference between her and the others. The others always saw his team as an inconvenience. They never took the time to know any of the people he had worked with through the years. Molly instantly fit into the group as if she were an agent herself. She went out with Ziva and Abby. He smiled thinking about her telling him the next day the questions she had answered for them. He was not smiling then but he could now. She had had them over to dinner at her townhouse multiple times. She even knew how to make herself scarce when any one of them came to his home to discuss a problem.

More importantly, she seemed to understand where Kelly and Shannon fit in his life. She never pried. Not once did she tell him he needed to move on. She understood that Shannon and Kelly was not a threat to their life together. She allowed him his time when he needed it. More often than not, she could just tell he needed his time and didn't have to ask. Yet, when there were times he just really needed someone to sit in silence with him, she somehow knew that too. She understood him like his team understood him and that was what he needed to come home to.

Rather than coming into his life and pushing against all that made him him, she filled in the gaps and made him more complete. She was in every aspect of his life without forcing herself in. She just fit. Looking around the bullpen he saw pieces of her at each desk.

Pinned to McGee's wall was an article printed off the internet about what was on the President's reading list for the summer. Highlighted was the line that states that he was waiting patiently for Thom E. Gemcity's next novel because he had enjoyed Deep Six over the summer. Molly had been the one who suggested the book to him. Lord knows how many more books that article had sold for McGee.

Behind Ziva's desk on a shelf sat a beautiful wood case. When opened it displayed a pair of black Sais. They are weapons specific to Ninjas. Molly had brought them back from her trip to Asia with the President. She thought it was appropriate since Tony referred to Ziva as a Ninja on a regular basis. Ziva appreciated them more when Molly explained what she had to do in order to get them onto Air Force One for the flight back to the states.

A hand written note on White House Stationary was hanging from DiNozzo's filing cabinet. It was in a plastic protective sleeve and held there by a magnet. This was Tony's pride and joy in the office right now. He made a point of referring to it until one of the other teams threatened to dispose of it if he didn't stop rubbing it in. It was written by the President and dated October 5th. His team received it the night they found out Molly was pregnant. 

_Gibbs team had been working a home invasion that resulted in a double murder since Sunday afternoon. It was now Tuesday evening. His team had gotten little sleep over the past two nights because just when it seemed like it was a good breaking point another lead would hit them. Each had caught a few hours sleep on the conference room table while the rest of the team worked. Gibbs put in a request to Molly when she called to see how he was doing. That request was being fulfilled when he heard the ding of the elevator. He looked up to see Molly enter the squad room._

_Tony was the first out of his seat when he saw the large bags in Molly's hands. "Please tell me that's food in those bags." He gave his best DiNozzo smile. It did nothing to hide his exhaustion. _

"_There is most definitely food in here and not just crappy take out either." Molly put the bags on Tony's desk. _

_Tony wrapped his arms around Molly. "If you were not Gibbs woman I would-"_

"_Do what DiNozzo?" Gibbs interrupted suddenly behind his Senior Agent._

"_I would hug her just like I am doing now and nothing else Boss." Tony stepped away from Molly. _

_Gibbs walked up to Molly and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Where's your dinner?" _

"_I know you guys are busy so mine's in the car. Figured I would head home." Molly looked around at the agents. They all looked exhausted. The dark circles under their eyes, wrinkled clothes, and gray pallor reminded her of a zombie movie. She thought Tony would have been proud of her connection but would not appreciate the comparison at the moment._

"_We are going to take a few and enjoy this food. Stay a bit." He rolled a spare chair over to the other side of his desk .Gibbs turned to Molly and took her car keys out of her hand and tossed them to Tony. "Since you love her so much, run down to her car and grab the KFC bag off the front seat."_

"_On it Boss." Tony grabbed his jacket off his chair and stopped. "How do you know its KFC in her car? Why would she buy herself junk when she said she didn't bring us takeout?"_

_Molly began to strip her long coat off and revealed her belly for the first time to the group. "Because that's all I've wanted to eat for the past three weeks thanks to our little guy." She ran her hands over her baby bump and laughed at the jaws dropping around the bullpen. She had done so much traveling over the summer with the President that she had not seen the team since she had started to show. She had assumed Leroy had told them but she could tell by their faces that this was the first they were hearing the news._

"_You're, uh, having a baby boss?" McGee croaked out finally._

"_Well, I don't plan on doing the actual pushing McGee but yeah I'm having a baby." Gibbs smiled and chuckled as DiNozzo still stood staring at Molly's belly. "You don't get that food DiNozzo I'm feeding her yours."_

"_On it Boss!" Tony snapped out of it and headed for the elevator. He needed time to process before he let his mouth get him in trouble. The idea of Gibbs becoming a father was, well, a bit shocking. Not that he didn't think he would make an excellent father. It was just that Gibbs was over retirement age and now- Tony slapped himself in the back of the head when he got into the elevator. That's why he just kept his mouth shut. _

"_So how long have you had a biscuit in the oven Molly?" Ziva got up and walked over to Molly who was now sitting in the chair offered to her by Leroy._

"_Bun Ziva." McGee corrected her. "The expression is bun in the oven."_

"_Almost six months." Molly turned to Leroy. "You really said nothing to them? Leroy it's been two months since I told you."_

"_It's wouldn't be any fun if I just told them. You know me. I'm all about the shock and awe." He smirked. He really did enjoy seeing the look on their faces when Molly had removed her coat. Thank goodness for the unseasonably cold air. Her removing her coat had been like pulling the cover off a new car._

_When Tony returned he handed the plastic bag in his hand to Molly with a sour look on his face. "I know you're pregnant and all Molly, but that junk is not-"_

"_Tony, you are hardly the one who should be lecturing anyone about eating Junk." McGee stopped Tony midsentence as he headed for the bags on Tony's desk._

"_Yes. That is the pot calling the kettle black is it not?" Ziva added taking a foil container from McGee._

"_You would get that one right." Tony answered and grabbed a container from McGee and passing it to Gibbs. They all sat at their desks took the paper lids off the containers. "This smells delicious." Tony smiled as he took in the smell of Chicken Marcela. "Did you make this? You said it isn't take out."_

"_It's not take out but it didn't come from my kitchen." She said opening her plastic domed container._

"_This is the best Chicken Marcela I've had and I know a thing or two about Italian food." Tony moaned as he took another bite. "Whose kitchen did it come from? I want to marry them."_

"_The White House kitchen. The President invites staff to the residence for dinner on Tuesday nights. I told him I was going to skip and explained how you all have been working and needed me to get you some nourishment other than pizza. He immediately called up to the residential kitchen and had the plates made for you." _

_Molly started laughing as McGee's fork stopped halfway to his mouth. "The President sent us dinner?" _

"_He did. In fact, there is a note in one of the bags."_

_Tony grabbed the bag he had placed near his desk on the floor and pulled out an envelope. He opened it carefully and pulled out a piece of White House stationary. He read the hand written note out loud. "To Special Agents Gibbs, DiNozzo, McGee and David. Thank you for working so hard to protect those who protect us and our freedom. Our country owes you so much for your service. Please enjoy dinner. Stay Safe. He actually signed it."_

_The three agents sat a little taller after Tony finished reading the note. Molly knew that neither Leroy nor Leon was good at passing out compliments. She hoped that the note would give them the boost they needed to at least get them through this case._


	9. Chapter 9

Gibbs needed some coffee. His crew needed something to keep going as well. He knew they were doing all they could to get him the information he needed to get Tony and Molly back. The least he could do was get them some coffee.

He went to grab his green Carhartt jacket off the back of his chair when he saw the picture on his desk. It had been years since Gibbs had had anything personal on his desk. Now there stood a silver frame engraved "Team Gibbs." Late in October NCIS held a charity flag football tournament. With Abby, Palmer, Vance and even Ducky, they had enough to form their own team. At the tournament before any team member would take the field they would rub Molly's belly for good luck. It seemed to work because they won the tournament. In the picture was the entire team with Molly in the middle. Everyone had a hand on her belly. That was the day Tony had named his son Gibby. The same picture, only larger, hung framed over the head of his son's handmade crib in the nursery at his house.

"That was a great day." Ducky's voice came from beside him. Gibbs looked up startled. He had not heard the elevator. "Abby called me so I could, at the very least, be a friend for you. However, if there is anything I can do to help find them you just say the word."

"Hell of it is Duck, she gave me this picture. She made me put it on my desk and told me anytime I get a stupid idea in my head that I was to look at this picture and see how many people loved me and needed me alive. She said it would prevent me from going off and doing something I could never take back. Then she goes and does the stupid thing. She is the one who left herself unprotected by misleading the Secret Service and not telling me there was a problem. I just don't get it."

"That, Jethro, you will have to ask her about when you find her." Ducky answered and put his hand on Gibbs' shoulder.

"Everything in me wants to go busting down the door of all two hundred people on that roster. But I know if I do it could result in them getting killed. I need to find them soon Duck. My gut is telling me something and it's not good." 

Tony lay on the bed curled up behind Molly with his hands rubbing her belly. He did not know how long they had been there but it seemed like days. He listened to her even breathing amazed that she had managed to doze off with contractions tightening her abdomen every eight or so minutes while being held captive by some political freak. Every once in a while she would moan quietly as a contraction interrupted her slumber.

Tony was worried. He had been racking his brain on how to get them out of here. The contractions were getting closer together. It did not matter how many times he watched "Look Who's Talking" or "Father of the Bride II" he was not going to be able to deliver Gibby in the basement of some house in North Chevy Chase. The kidnapper had driven them to one end of DC and then switched to the Tahoe and driven them clear across the city to the other end. Gibbs was going to be running all over the city looking for them.

Gibbs. He did not want to think about his boss right now. He knew Gibbs was looking for them. Abby or McGeek had to have figured out his movie reference to Gibbs by now. McGee was probably afraid the Secret Service was going to throw him in jail because Tony was sure Gibbs had ordered him to hack into the White House email system. He was sure they had found his cell phone by now. Vance would have been dragged out of bed by either Gibbs or the Secret Service.

Vance. If Molly was right and Gibbs did somehow, by the grace of God, understand that this was not his fault, Tony still had Vance to contend with. Tony reminded him too much of Gibbs. Tony was flattered really that Vance saw Gibbs in himself. Tony could only wish he was half the agent Gibbs was. However, to Vance, that made Tony a liability. Vance wanted more agents that looked like McGee. Tony couldn't really disagree on some level. Hell, he wished he had a fraction of McGee's computer skills. However, there was a place for all types on team Gibbs. That's why the team was so successful. No, the Director already did not care for him. Now that he had gotten the Press Secretary and Vance's close personal friend kidnapped, he would be job hunting before the end of the day.

"This is a fine mess you've gotten yourself into this time Junior." He whispered to himself. He could hear his father's voice in his head. At least he could hear voices in his head right now. He knew once Gibbs got a hold of him he would be lucky if he had a head left.

"Tony." Molly's voice seemed to shatter the quietness of the room. "If I head slap you like Leroy will that help you focus and relax?"

"I think this problem is beyond a head slap Molly. I am not going to be able to relax until you and Gibby are resting comfortably at Bethesda. Even then I will only be able to relax until the ax falls. If Gibbs doesn't hurt me Vance is going to."

"Trust me when I tell you Tony, they are going to be more upset with me than you." Molly proceeded to explain to Tony how she had managed to hide the threats from CAMS from Leroy. She could feel Tony shake his head in disbelief. "I'm so sorry I got you into this Tony."

"Gibbs is not going to be happy Molly. But you are giving him a son so he will forgive you. Don't be surprised if he decides to drive you to work every day and insist you have some kind of security detail twenty-four seven. Some kind of tracking system may be added to your clothing. He won't take any chances again."

"I'll take it all if it means we get out of here and I get to have my baby safely in a hospital." Molly sighed and squeezed Tony's hand as another contraction took over her body.


	10. Chapter 10

"Yes Mr. President. As soon as I know you'll know." Leon hung up the phone on his desk. This was the one time he hated being the big man behind the desk. He wanted to strap on a gun and badge and head out with Gibbs and be a man of action. But he had to watch himself. Becoming a person of action is one of the ways his predecessor had gotten herself and her agents in trouble. Using the agency to solve something very personal was how she soiled the NCIS name and left a mess for him to clean up after she had been killed. No, Gibbs was making this personal enough for the both of them. He ran his hands over his face and then slammed his fist on the desk.

"If you break a nose instead of the desk it's more satisfying." Gibbs entered the office without knocking. "Won't make you feel better, but makes you feel productive." Gibbs placed a cup of coffee on Leon's desk and paced the room.

"How are you still in this building? Thought you'd be breaking down doors by now. McGee has a list of CAMS members that live in the area."

"I know. But I start busting down doors they either move them or hurt them Leon. Plain as that. My team is working as fast as they can. If I go down to the lab I will be in the way." Gibbs stated all of this as a fact. He knew it was true. It went against every fiber of his being to stand around and wait but there was nothing he could really do. "Ya hear from those nimrods yet?"

"Got off the phone with Seymour about fifteen minutes ago. Confirmed what McGee found in Molly's emails. We have to find 'em Gibbs because half the stuff they want doesn't exist. It's a no win situation when it comes to the ransom. They also called the car service they used for Molly's car and driver. Turns out someone called earlier in the day and cancelled the rental. The car and driver that had been initially scanned by the service was not used. Would have called you as soon as I got off the phone with him but he had a number for me for the President who asked I call him directly." Leon stood up from his chair and sipped his coffee. "He's more pissed at your buddies than anyone else. Says they should have confirmed her safety rather than take her word for it. Heads are gonna role for this Gibbs. Luckily, as far as the President is concerned, none of those heads belong to NCIS."

"Anything happens to them Leon and it won't be the President taking care of it." Gibbs meant it too. The only people who knew better than Leon what happened to those who messed with Gibbs' family were dead or in jail. "I'm headed down to Abby's lab. You coming?" Gibbs headed for the door.

"Call me when you have something. I have to brief SecNav." Gibbs nodded and exited the office. Leon sunk back into his chair. This would be the second conversation he had had with SecNav since October regarding something that had to do with Molly and Gibbs. In all fairness to Gibbs, neither time was his fault. The first time Leon took the rants of SecNav in stride. SecNav's call to the White House resulted in the President telling him that if he did not want his flight delayed then he should think about giving his agents enough time to say good bye to family prior to sending them to a war zone. 

_The team looked up at Gibbs has he came down the staircase from Vance's office. He had been up there for quite a while and curiosity as to what the meeting was about was getting the best of them. The more than normal serious look on his face was a source of concern to them. He came around the cubicle wall and headed towards his desk. "We got an assignment." The team stood up and grabbed their gear bags. "Won't be needing those."_

"_What we got Boss?" Tony asked as he walked over to Gibbs desk. _

"_SecNav wants to make a surprise trip over to Iraq to visit some Marine bases. Seems as though word of the trip has leaked out somehow and some threats against him were made. He doesn't want to look weak so he is still traveling. We have been assigned to protection detail. C-40 leaves Andrews in three hours. Tony and Ziva you need to go pack and be back in 90 minutes. We will be gone for 3 days." Both agents grabbed coats and headed for the elevator after a simple nod of their heads. "McGee, I need two things from you." Gibbs made his way over to McGee's desk._

"_Anything Boss." McGee nodded. He was a little disappointed to hear he was clearly not going to Iraq with his team. But he also knew Gibbs would have his reasons for keeping Tim home. A few years ago he would have thought it was because Gibbs didn't have faith in his experience as an agent. Now he understood that sometimes his expertise required him to stay home where the technology was secure and consistent. _

"_Vance already got it set that any and all further Intel collected about this or new threats are to be directly passed along to you. I want you tracking that Intel and passing along anything I need to know directly to the team. Do not give the info to anyone but us three. Got it?"_

"_Got it Boss. And the second thing?" McGee stood when Gibbs gestured for him to come closer. _

_When Gibbs spoke his voice was quiet. "After you drop us off at Andrews I want you to go pack a bag. I want you staying at Molly's town house until I get back. Hormones are getting to her and as much of a trooper she tries to be, I think this assignment is going to be rough on her. I need someone there for her. I need someone I can trust." Gibbs then walked back to his desk and grabbed his coat._

_McGee was taken aback by the last sentence. The trust amongst the team was never verbalized, especially by Gibbs. The fact that Gibbs had just used both the words "need" and "trust" in the same sentence regarding his personal life was astounding to Tim. The fact that Tim was the one Gibbs chose to fulfill that need had him dumbfounded. "Don't worry boss. She is in safe hands." Gibbs simply nodded as he headed for the elevator._

_When the elevator doors closed Gibbs took out his cell and dialed Molly's number. She was not going to like the news. He was hoping she could sneak away a few minutes so he could tell her in person. It wasn't just the hormones that were going to make this assignment harder than any other he had been on. It actually had very little to do with the baby at all. It had to do with her past. _

_The first night they had spent exploring each other's bodies Gibbs had asked about her tattoo. It was in a particularly odd place. Just below her armpit on her left side was a tattoo of the Medal of Honor Ribbon Bar. Above it in script was "Semper Fidelis" and below was "Captain Michael Gallagher Lombardi". She told him the story of her Marine fiancé who had been deployed to Afghanistan. He and his group had entered their tent one night and found a bomb with a timer. Michael had been the one to grab it and run outside. It exploded in the air when he threw it. When he turned his body to shield himself from the shrapnel, a nail had managed to enter just above his vest and through the space in his ribs. It passed through his lung and penetrated his heart. It was a freak but tragic injury. The tattoo was placed in the spot where the nail had entered his body._

_Gibbs let out a long breath as the ringing then turned into her voicemail message. "It's me. Call me as soon as you get this message. It's important." He hung up the phone and headed for the parking lot. He knew no matter what he said she would worry that he would meet the same fate as Lombardi. It would be especially hard to convince her since it was his job to lay his life down for the Secretary. No, Molly was not going to like this once little bit._

_McGee was going over the information that had been sent to him about the current threat on SecNav when Tony walked out of the elevator. He was the first to return out of the three. He made his way over to his desk and dropped the duffel he had slung over his shoulder. "I take it Boss has you watching our sixes from across the Atlantic?"_

"_Yup. I have made sure that all my emails are being forwarded to my phone. All people who need to be able to reach me have my number. And currently the only one with higher priority on the access to MTAC list is Vance. And since this is his number one priority no one can use that room without my permission."_

"_Nice job. Did, huh, Boss also put you on Molly detail?" Tony wanted to make sure Tim really knew how important this was. It wasn't just a babysitting job._

"_He did." Tim was waiting for the lecture to begin. He knew how serious this assignment was. He understood how tough it was going for Gibbs to get on that plane and leave Molly and his unborn son behind._

"_You know this is a lot more than midnight runs to the convenience store for Chunky Monkey Ice Cream right McGee? I mean this is Gibby and Molly. Gibbs is not going to like getting on that plane. I can handle a short tempered Gibbs if I know you understand the full situation."_

"_Trust me Tony; I know where you are going. Last time Gibbs went over there and left a family behind he came back for Kelly and Shannon's funeral. I promise you, nothing is going to happen to her. That's why I made sure everything is going to my phone. If she is home, I'll be there unless it's imperative I'm here. If I can't be there, I already have Ducky and Abby who have volunteered to take my spot. Gibbs is really worried about her emotional response because of the hormones. I will make sure she is in one piece emotionally and physically when that C-40 lands at Andrews in three days."_

_Tony's cell phone ended the conversation. "DiNozzo." He walked over and grabbed his bag. "Be right down Boss." He closed his phone and placed it back on his hip. "Let's go McChauffer. Boss man is in Abby's lab saying bye. Wants us to meet him at the car."_

_As the team unloaded the bags and equipment from the car at Andrews, Gibbs walked away from them to make a phone call. He had called Molly's cell at least nine times since the elevator. A call to her office told him that she was at Bethesda's new family center visiting with the First Lady. That did not explain why she had not picked up her cell phone or called him back. He would figure that if she saw he called that many times she could guess it was important. If the pure number of times he called wasn't enough, the multiple messages, each more urgent than the next, should have. This time he was forced to tell her in a voicemail where he was going._

_He returned to his team scowling and handed McGee his cell phone as Ziva and Tony had already done. From this point on they would be using secure satellite phones until their return home. He grabbed a couple of the bags and mumbled "see ya in three days McGee," and headed for the tarmac where the Boeing737 sat. Tim had never seen his boss walk with more emotion than he did at that moment. There was no doubt he was angry, disappointed, and even a bit scared as he made his way to that plane._

_The team was going over the itinerary and details of the threats when SecNav, accompanied by a team of aides, entered the plane. They had been waiting for almost 45 minutes for him to arrive. He shook hands with the three agents and found his seat. He opened a briefcase and began going through papers. After about five minutes he looked up and addressed the agents. "Why haven't we taken off yet? The engines haven't even started?" _

_Gibbs shrugged his shoulders and then looked at Tony. He motioned towards the cockpit with his head. Tony got up and headed towards the front of the plane. A few short minutes later he returned with one of the pilots. "Evidently Sir," Tony sounded a bit uneasy about what he was about to say. "The pilot has orders that this plane not move as of yet. The orders come from higher up on the food chain."_

"_I'm the goddamn Secretary of the Navy!" SecNav's face turned red. "Who the hell can keep this plane grounded when I ordered you to get us in the air? We're already behind schedule."_

"_Sorry Sir. I have orders from the President himself. This plane does not leave until the motorcade arrives." Tony was impressed with how unaffected the pilot was by SecNav's temper. If the President ever ordered Tony to do the opposite of what Gibbs ordered, it would take a lot of thinking to decide which order Tony followed and he wasn't so sure the President would win._

_SecNav turned to one of his many assistants that had boarded with him. "Get the White House on the phone!" The assistant had his phone in his hand when he heard "Never mind. Damn Motorcade just rolled up." _

_Gibbs looked out the window of the small plane and saw that it was not the President's motorcade. It was that of the First Lady. He stood and opened the door to the plane. He headed down the stairs before the door of the black Suburban could be opened. He knew instantly who was inside. He felt weight lifted off his shoulders as he sighed with relief._

_Tony stood by the door as SecNav attempted to disembark the aircraft. "With all due respect Sir, this visit isn't for you." Tony and Ziva watched as Molly came out of the SUV. When Gibbs got to her she threw her arms around him and got as close as her belly would allow._

"_I am so sorry." Molly whispered in his ear. "My phone slipped out of my coat when I got out of the limo at Bethesda. By the time I got back and got your messages it was too late. I called your phone and McGee answered. The First Lady called the President to hold the plane. I couldn't let you leave without saying good bye."_

_Gibbs pulled away from her a bit so he could look at her. "McGee is staying with you while I'm gone. He is under orders so don't push him away."_

"_Leroy, I don't need him there. I will be f-"_

"_Molly, please, __I__ need him there." He looked straight into her eyes when he said it. She didn't argue. She could see every ounce of fear and anxiety in his eyes. She knew leaving her in DC while he went to Iraq had to be bringing up some difficult memories. She was having a hard enough time shoving away her own. _

_She nodded and again hugged him. "Stay safe. No cowboy stuff. You come home to me and our son." She kissed him on the cheek. "You understand me Marine?"_

_He was waiting for tears. He was waiting for her to beg him not to go. That was the scene he had been dreading when he first learned of the assignment. But instead here she was, standing in front of him, proud and strong as ever. He went down to both knees and unbuttoned the bottom half of her wool pea coat. He opened it up and placed a hand on either side of her stomach. He leaned forward and kissed his unborn child._

_Ziva and Tony watched the scene from the plane. Ziva broke the silence. "Having the plane held in order to say good bye. Very dramatic is it not? What movie reference do you have for this?"_

"_You have it all wrong Ziva." Tony turned to her. "That is as real as it gets." He took his seat as Gibbs headed back for the plane._


	11. Chapter 11

Another contraction ripped through Molly's abdomen. She squeezed Tony's hand as hard as she could and did those stupid breathing techniques that she and Leroy had been taught in the classes her doctor had insisted they take. "I can't lay like this anymore." She started to turn in Tony's arms after the contraction had released. "Tony. It's getting pretty close to time for me. I can tell. We need to get the hell out of here." She tried to keep the whine out of her voice but she was tired and cranky and in pain.

"I know. Your contractions are pretty close together now." Tony got out of the bed and began to pace the small room. He ran his hands through his hair and began running scenarios through his head. The time for relying on Gibbs to get them out of this had passed. There was no way he was going to deliver Gibby in the basement of some political radical. Gibby deserved a warm loving environment when he was brought into this world. He deserved to have his dad there. That was exactly what Tony was going to provide for him. "Okay Molly. I've got a plan. We are going to get out of here but you need to help me. I can't do this alone. And it's not going to be pretty."

"Anything Tony. I just want out of here. I want Leroy next to me in a hospital room." She looked through the small window and saw the first hint of dawn. She wasn't sure how her labor had lasted this long after her water broke but she was grateful. She knew the time she spent in this room was not a waste. Leroy and his team were working to find them. "What's the plan?"

Tony had long ago put his suit coat and heavy wool coat over the back of one of the chairs. He began to remove the matching vest. He undid his belt as he began to explain everything to Molly. From the buckle of the belt he removed a knife. "See Molly, you scoff at Gibbs' rules, but really, they are more useful than you'll know. Rule Nine. Always carry a knife."

"I know Tony. I'm sure they are all useful to you guys out in the field but if he quotes rule three to me one more time…."

"He is going to quote that one till the day you die. Especially after this situation. You're lucky he didn't permanently attach a Blue Tooth to your head after the fiasco when we went to Iraq. Probably would have if he had a frickin clue as to what Blue Tooth was." Tony put his belt in the pocket of his suit coat. He didn't want to lose his best belt. He then untucked his designer shirt to cover up the fact he was no longer wearing a belt. "Are you ready Molly?" She nodded and positioned herself as if she was getting ready to deliver. Tony covered up her legs with his long coat. Tony then began banging on the walls and trying to get their kidnapper's attention.

Molly was scared. She was scared but had no choice but to follow through with Tony's plan. She was not going to have her baby here. She was not going to leave the fate of the three of them up to that maniac upstairs. She was going to be brave and just do what had to be done. That's what Leroy would do. She was sure that's what he was doing right now. She then heard the sound of feet coming down the basement steps. 

McGee had spent the last several hours fast forwarding, watching, and marking surveillance video from internet café's all over DC. Only one face appeared in all of them. He tried running it through face recognition software but the guy was not in any of their databases. He was in the middle of running a program he created to cross reference the face with the DMV records of those on the CAMS roster when Ziva hung up the phone in Abby's office.

"Got him. VIN and tags came back to a rented Escalade. I just got off the phone with the company. It comes back to a-" Ziva was interrupted by the sound of Abby's computers dinging and a knocking on the door.

Abby looked at them both. "I told you he's magic." She opened the door to find Gibbs standing on the other side looking as lost and distraught has he had when he had left them.

"You didn't check to see who I was Abs. For all you know I could be the Secret-"

"It had to be you Gibbs. We found them. You are always the first to walk through my door when I have something." She walked over to her computer.

"Uh Boss- everything comes back to a John Hayden in North Chevy Chase. He is the name on the rental car. His DMV picture matches the guy in all the internet photos and he drives a silver Tahoe which uses the same type of tire we found made the tracks at the scene. He is also a member of CAMS."

"That's the guy who picked them up tonight." Gibbs pointed at the plasma. "McGee you're with me. Ziva get another Charger so we have room for everyone when we bring them home. Abs-" Gibbs leaned in and kissed her cheek. "In twenty minutes call Vance and fill him in on everything." He wanted to make sure he had plenty of time with Hayden before the Secret Service came and messed it up. "That's good work. All of you." He turned and rushed out the door with McGee right behind him.

"Are you going to allow him the twenty minutes he requested?" Ziva asked Abby as she put her coat on.

"You're damn right I am. There isn't going to be anything left of that guy when Leroy Jethro Gibbs is finished with him." Abby answered Ziva's question with pride in her voice as she began to finalize her findings. As Ziva walked out the door Abby turned to her. "Call me as soon as you all are safe. I won't be able to stop worrying until I do."

Ziva's phone rang and she picked it up. After a quick "Got it" she hung up and turned to Abby. "Can you call Ducky in Autopsy? Tell him Gibbs would like him to ride with me just in case either of them has a need for medical attention." Abby was buzzing down to the basement before Ziva got in the elevator. 

As soon as Ducky hung up the phone after receiving Jethro's request via Abby he went for his coat and hat. He was thankful to hear that they had located the man who had kidnapped Anthony and Molly. Ducky sent up a quick prayer that where they found this man is where they would find Jethro's family. The bond between the team, the unit as a family, could not be denied by anybody. However, if anyone had questions about whether or not Molly had successfully integrated herself into his friend's life, Ducky could offer a definitive answer of yes.

Ducky had watched Jethro for nearly two decades try to recreate what he had with Shannon by attempting to find a look alike. Redhead after redhead came through his life. However, they all were only that, look alikes. Jethro had needed someone who would not try to push him into a healing process he had seemed to resent. Ducky knew that when Jethro found that person, then and only then, would the healing process become something Jethro would want and understand. When that person came into Jethro's life, that person would want for nothing because Jethro would deny them nothing. Molly was undoubtedly that person.

Ducky was also sure that the reason the relationship had been so successful was because of the conception of Gibby. He chuckled at the name as he made his way to the parking garage to meet Ziva. While Molly was a wonderful and strong woman, Ducky was unsure if she would have been able to make it work with Jethro if it had not been for their determination to make a family for their son. They were not staying together simply for the baby. In fact, they seemed quite happy. However, the baby seemed to give Jethro the push he needed to really make this relationship work. In order for it to work he needed to become more open as a person. He needed to start living a life beyond work. More importantly, he needed to start living in the present rather than the past.

The transformation of his friend's life over the last few months was miraculous. That change in how Jethro lived his life was really kick started back in early November. That was when Ducky was sure Jethro realized that not only could he not deny Molly anything, he-in Jethro's words- simply didn't want to deny her anything. That realization had been the end result of the first serious fight between Jethro and Molly. It was when Molly made it perfectly clear that she was not going to follow Jethro blindly simply because he said to. Instead of allowing her to walk out of his life like every other female in the past, Leroy Jethro Gibbs realized he needed to bend and make some changes of his own.


	12. Chapter 12

_Gibbs was sitting on the couch reading when Molly had pulled up. He got off the couch and met her at the door when she walked in. He took the black garment bag from her and hung it in the closet and then helped her with her coat as she kicked off her shoes. She had not been wearing her preferred high heels for a month now. Her feet could no longer handle the stress. He looked suspiciously as she pulled a small box out of her coat pocket before he hung it up. She kissed him on the cheek and handed it to him with a smile. "Happy Birthday." He took her hand and led her back to the couch_

_ Molly sat with her back leaning against a throw pillow and the arm of the couch. Once Gibbs was in his spot on the other end, he put the red box with a gold bow on the end table and brought her feet up on his lap and began to use his strong hands to massage her left foot. She leaned back and let out a sigh. "Have I told you how much I love you?" She closed her eyes and let the sensation of his magic hands help her release the stress of the day._

_ "I think once or twice." He chuckled. He actually enjoyed doing these types of things for her. She never asked him to rub her feet or back. Hell, she hardly ever complained about her discomfort at all. But Gibbs could tell sometimes, by the way she moved, that she was having a difficult time getting around. At the White House she was on her feet all the time. Hence the move to the more comfortable but still fashionable shoes rather than the normal heels she wore. He had originally picked on her about it since it now meant instead of coming up to his nose she now stopped at his chin. "What's in the box?"_

_ "It's your birthday present Leroy. If I wanted to just tell you what it was I would not have gone through the effort of wrapping it." She said this without looking up at him. He chuckled. Of course she would remember that today was the Corps' birthday. It really did not surprise him that she brought him home a gift. "Are you going to open it?"_

_ "After I'm finished." Gibbs made his way to her other foot. "What's in the black dress bag? Or is that a secret too?"_

_ "My dress for Saturday night. I bought it a few weeks ago and just picked it up from the tailor. Had to make sure it fit my belly right." Molly absent mindedly rubbed her hand over her stomach._

_ "Saturday night? We have plans?" Gibbs' eyebrows raised in question. He was really hoping he had not forgotten something important. Pregnancy hormones could be tricky and he did not want Molly to get upset._

_ "Remember Jethro? I told you last month. I have the Marine Corps Ball Saturday. Daniel will be picking me up at my town house around 5:30." Molly raised her head and opened her eyes when the hands on her right foot stopped rubbing._

_ "Daniel?" Gibbs did not even attempt to hide the jealousy in his voice. "I thought we agreed that since you are with me it would not be appropriate for you to go with him."_

_ "When we discussed it, you were adamant you were not going. Me not going is out of the question Leroy. I also told you that. We did not agree that I was not attending. It's important to me. It's a tradition." Molly sat up and took her feet off of his lap. She had explained to him a month ago that every year a member of Michael's team escorted her to the ball. It was a way they all chose to remember her dead fiancé and their leader and friend. "For crying out loud Leroy, they're all married at this point and it's not like I am in any shape to be messing around with any of them even if they weren't."_

_ "No Molly. I don't care if he is the Pope. You are not going with him. Period. This is not okay." He jumped off the couch in an effort to prove he was seriously standing his ground._

_ Molly stood as well. Granted it took more effort to maneuver herself off the couch but she was not taking this sitting down, literally or otherwise. If Leroy Jethro Gibbs thought for one second that she was going to just rollover on this and let him order her around, boy did he have another thing coming. "I am NOT one of your agents. You will NOT tell me what I will and will not do. You will NOT tell me who I can and cannot go with. We BOTH have lost someone we loved. We BOTH chose to deal with it our own way. I have NOT ONCE told you how to remember Shannon and Kelly. I have NOT ONCE looked in the other bedrooms. I don't have to look because I know what's in there. I know that's where you keep them alive Leroy. I have NEVER told you to move on. I have given you space on the days it was clear you needed time with them. Hell Leroy, I will take our son on vacation for the entire last week of February every year so you can have space to remember and grieve your family. Whatever you need I understand and will provide. So when it comes to how I choose to remember Michael, I expect the same damn courtesy." Her hands had been flailing the entire time she spoke. _

_ "Living it up and dancing at some party really sounds about as far from mourning as you could possibly get." Gibbs stomped off towards the kitchen. Molly followed. He could not understand how she could compare him keeping all of his girl's things in a couple of rooms for him to remember now and then to getting all dressed up and going to a ball with a bunch of guys. It wasn't the same and for a mother-to-be it was really just inappropriate all together._

_ "We are not mourning Michael. We are celebrating him. That's the difference between you and me Leroy. I am done mourning. I have been for a long time. I loved Michael. I loved him more than I can ever put into words. Michael's family did not like me because of the age difference between the two of us. When he slipped his grandmother's engagement ring on my finger his mother was livid. But he didn't care. All he wanted was to see me happy. So now, all these years later, I would never disrespect his memory by still crying over him. He wouldn't want that. At his funeral I gave his mother back the ring. It belonged to their family anyways. I got nothing of Michael's because we weren't married. That woman got it all. All I have is one night a year with the men he served with, the men whose lives he saved. I will be damned if you think you are going to take that away from me. I'm not sure how you think you have the right to tell me what to do."_

_ "You are carrying MY son. You are MY girlfriend. That's where I get the right!" Molly had never seen Leroy look so mad. But she knew she had to stand her ground. She had never allowed a man to control her actions and she wasn't about to start now. Molly abruptly turned and made her way to the door. She slipped her shoes on and opened the closet. "Where are you going? We are not done talking about this." _

_ She opened the door and turned to him. "We ARE done FIGHTING about this. I am going. When you are ready to TALK, LISTEN, and UNDERSTAND, call me." With that she walked out the door and shut it quietly. Gibbs swore under his breath and headed for the basement._

_ Molly did not hear from Leroy again until Saturday night. It was around five in the evening and she was just putting on the last of her makeup before getting into her dress when her cell rang. She didn't look at the caller id. "Hello."_

_ "Hi Molly." Her heart sank when she heard how melancholy Leroy sounded. She hadn't wanted to make him so upset. She had fought off the urge the past two days to call him and make amends. But she knew she was in the right on this one._

_ "Hey Leroy. I-uh- well I'm just getting ready for tonight so I can't really-"_

_ "I know. I just wanted to ask you something. Can you have Daniel drop you off here tonight after the ball? I would like to show you something and talk."_

_ "I can do that." Her heart now skipped a little. Maybe this wasn't going to be the end of them like she had been dreading all day. "It's going to be late."_

_ "It's okay. Door is unlocked. How are you feeling?" Gibbs knew she had to go but he had missed her the last couple of days. He wanted to call so many times just to make sure she was doing okay. _

_ "I'm- We're doing okay Leroy. I promise. But I really have to get-" It broke her heart to have to hang up the phone._

_ "I know. See you later?"_

_ "Yes. You will see us later. I love you." She hung up the phone before he could respond._

_ Gibbs jumped from the couch as soon as he heard the car pull up to his driveway. He quickly made his way over to the door and out onto the porch. A tall man in full Marine Corps dress walked Molly up to the porch and kept a hand on her arm as she made her way up the steps. She smiled at Gibbs. "Staff Sergeant Daniel Monroe this is NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Gunnery Sergeant United States Marine Corps."_

_ The younger man stuck out his hand and Gibbs shook it. "Nice to meet you Gunny. Molly has told all of us a lot about you. Next time you are at Quantico please feel free to stop in and say hello. We are hoping that you will join us next year."_

_ "I've been thinking about doing just that." Gibbs looked at Molly when he said it and noticed a spark of happiness enter her eyes. "Thanks for taking care of my girl tonight."_

_ "Pleasure is ours as always. Molly, you make sure some pictures of that fine young man make it to Quantico when he arrives. Maybe bring him down for a visit."_

_ "Never too young to start grooming a Marine." Molly smiled and hugged Daniel._

_ "OOH-RAH! Goodnight Molly." Daniel turned and headed back to his car as Molly shivered at the cold and Gibbs escorted her inside._

_ Their movements mirrored those of a few nights before. Gibbs hung up her coat as she slipped her shoes off. He leaned in and kissed her. "You look beautiful." The dress she had chosen complimented the Corps uniform. The black top was velvet and hugged her breasts. Gibbs had to admit that the pregnancy was doing wonderful things for her breasts. Not that they weren't great before she got pregnant. The bottom half was satin and the same blue as the uniform pants. It flared out just below her breasts and ended just above her knees. "Your feet must be killing you." He looked over at the black heels she had been wearing._

_ "I'm okay. What did you want to show me?" She allowed Leroy to take her up the stairs. He followed behind with one hand on the small of her back. He had told her many times he was fearful of her falling. When they got to the top of the stairs she was surprised when he guided her towards the room at the end of the hallway. "Leroy, it's okay. I don't need to see what's in there. I understand if you don't-" _

_ Gibbs put his finger to her lips. "It's not what you think. I've been thinking a lot about what you said. I don't want our son to miss out on one day with me because I have to hide in the basement and mourn them. I don't want him to resent them. And Shannon and Kelly would be mad if I let them come between me and him. That's not who they were. I want to start celebrating them like you celebrate Michael. For the last few years I have been doing that in sorts. I started making toys at Christmas for these kids in the children's hospital."_

_ "Like the ones you started after you finished the nursery furniture?" She had been impressed at how quickly Leroy had created a nursery's worth of quality handmade furniture. She was even more impressed with all the toy trains, planes, horses, and other small trinkets that began piling up in the basement._

_ "Yeah. It's my way of doing Christmas without having to actually deal with celebrating Christmas without them. It's therapeutic and I like to think I am doing it in their memory. So here's what I propose. Every year I will take you to the Marine Corps Ball to honor Michael and his men. Then you help me make and deliver the toys to the hospital as our way of honoring Kelly and Shannon. The rest of the year is ours. It's for our family." He wiped away a tear that was making its way down her cheek. She simply nodded since she didn't know what else to say. "That's not the part that's supposed to make you cry. This is." _

_ Gibbs opened the door to reveal the labor of love he had been working on around the clock since late Thursday night. The room that had once contained all he had left of his daughter was no longer the pink that he had picked out for Kelly all those years ago. It was a sage green. The hard wood floors were freshly buffed and shiny again. All the furniture that had been stored in the basement was now arranged beautifully. The crib was all set with mattress and bedding. The rocking chair sat in the middle with a cushion with child friendly animals on it. Pictures of all the people who would love this baby graced the walls. Team Gibbs was the biggest in size over the head of the crib. The changing table had diapers and wipes stacked neatly to the side with a changing pad and pale yellow cover. _

_ "Oh Leroy. It's perfect. It's beautiful." She entered and ran her hands along all his craftsmanship. Seeing all of this in the basement was nothing compared to the finished product in the nursery. She sat in the rocker and began to cry. He bent down in front of her and pulled her head to his shoulder. "I didn't mean for you to get rid of it all. That wasn't my intention."_

_ "It's in the other room." He rubbed her back. "I needed this room for him. It's okay. They would be okay with this and I am even more okay with this. I couldn't get rid of it all. I'm not there yet. You're going to have to be patient with me. But from now on everyday is about us." He put his hand on her stomach and rubbed small circles with a bit of pressure until he felt his son kick._

_ "So it's easier for you to accomplish all this in two days rather than simply say you are sorry?" Molly asked smiling through tears._

_ "Rule Six. Don't apologize; it's a sign of weakness. It's better to show you have learned from the mistake than it is to apologize for it."_

_ "Is showing that you learned from a mistake ever shown with jewelry?" She mocked._

_ He chuckled as his mouth curved into his crooked grin. "If you want jewelry, just say the word. Whatever it takes, whatever you want, it's yours Sweetie." He brought his hand up and cupped her cheek. "I just want us happy."_


	13. Chapter 13

The footsteps came down the stairs and across the basement. Tony kneeled beside Molly and took her hand. The door opened and the kidnapper walked through still holding Tony's Sig in his hand. "What's the problem Molly?" The man asked sarcastically looking back and forth between his two prisoners.

"Listen, she is in labor. Her contractions are pretty close together now. We need to get her to a hospital." Tony answered. Molly grasped his hand and began her breathing techniques again. The plan was for her to really play up that she was in labor. She didn't have to add much to her normal reaction to the pain.

"Well, I hope they taught you how to a deliver a baby at the academy because you two are not getting out of here." The man turned and went to walk out the door.

"Fine, I will deliver this kid here. But I can't do it by myself. Can't you just stand by just in case I need another set of hands? I mean she's in real pain here." Tony pleaded with their captor. He was hoping the guy would have a shred of humanity in him and take Molly's hand. All he needed was one hand busy. He held his breathe and waited.

The maniac turned and shut the door. "Fine. But once this kid is out you are on your own. You better not mess up DiNozzo. If you kill her the President is going to be mad. No pressure." He laughed as he slapped Tony on the shoulder.

Tony exhaled a sigh of relief. He positioned himself down near Molly's knees. He had apologized earlier for the fact he was going to have to see garments that he was sure Gibbs would kill him later for seeing. When his captor turned to push a chair closer to the bed Tony slipped his knife out of his pocket. He did not have time to take the man from behind before he had turned around. When he made himself comfortable in the chair next to Molly Tony looked into Molly's eye. He saw nothing but determination reflecting back in her slate gray eyes. "Okay Molly, I'm ready when you are."

Molly wasn't going to wait for the guy to grab her hand like Tony needed. She began to breathe in puffs. "Ohh Tony. Here comes another one!" She faked a contraction and grabbed the kidnapper's left hand with her right. She squeezed as hard as she could. "It hurts." She whined as she threw Tony's jacket up over her head. This was her signal to Tony.

Tony watched as his jacket went up over her face. He made that the signal so that Molly wouldn't have to witness what was going to happen next. She also knew not to remove it until he said so. "It's okay Molly." He brought her right leg down as if to make her more comfortable. He then lunged over it, stabbed, and twisted his knife into the right shoulder of the man in the chair.

The pain caused the man to lose his grip on the sig. It hit the floor around the same time Tony did. He reached for it as the man stood in the chair. The man screamed as he removed the knife and that's when he saw Tony on the floor with the Sig in his hand. He came at Tony as Tony twisted onto his back and fired. Two bullets entered his chest. The man groaned, staggered, and fell back onto the bed.

Tony could here Molly crying as she tried to push the man off of her. At this point she was still covered and did not know whose body was on top of her. Tony felt for a pulse to make sure the guy wasn't trying to catch him off guard. He then grabbed the dead man and threw him to the floor. He removed the coat from Molly and wrapped her in his arms. "It's okay Molly. He's dead. Let's get you to a hospital." He helped her up and helped her with her coat and then put on his suit coat. His jacket was covered with blood and would be evidence.

"Thank you Tony." Molly again hugged him. "Thank you so much. Leroy will be very proud of you." She knew in her heart that nothing would mean as much to him as Leroy's pride. It had been clear from the beginning that DiNozzo aimed to please only one man and that was his boss.

Tony guided her up the stairs. He searched the coats hanging in the hall for car keys. He found them along with the kidnapper's cell on the table in the entryway. Molly bent over in pain and grabbed onto his arm as another contraction hit. Tony took her hand and breathed with her as he dialed a familiar number on the cell. 

"Speaker." Gibbs said as he threw his ringing cell at McGee. He was driving way too fast to be talking on his cell. McGee opened it and hit speaker. "Gibbs."

"Boss its Tony." Gibbs had never been so relieved to hear Tony's voice.

"Are you okay? Where's Molly?" No one had ever heard that much urgency in Gibbs' voice before.

"We're in North Chevy Chase. Molly's fine except that we're on our way to Bethesda. She is going to deliver Gibby anytime now." Gibbs could here an engine start in the background. "I killed the bastard Gibbs. No hurry to get the scene. But you may want to hurry to Bethesda."

"We got the address already. Was on our way to get ya. I'll send Ziva there and head for the hospital. Let me talk to Molly."

"Leroy? You're going to make it to the hospital right? I've been holding on for so long. I don't know if I can hold on any longer. I don't want to deliver him without you but I don't know how much I have left in me. And Bethesda isn't my planned hospital. Doctor Taylor won't be there. Leroy, I'm scared. Our birthing plan is shot to hell. I can't do this without you."

Tim's stomach clenched when Gibbs' foot hit the accelerator harder. He didn't know the Charger could go any faster. He had never been more thankful that it was 6am on a Saturday. There was no traffic on the road or surely they would have been dead long before now.

"I will be there. You have my word." When Molly hung up Gibbs had McGee call Ziva and explain the situation. Ziva was to call Vance immediately and then start processing the scene before Secret Service arrived. "Get that card out and get that idiot Seymour on the phone." Gibbs ordered McGee after he hung up with Ziva.

"Agent Seymour." The voice of the Secret Service Agent came over the speaker.

"This is Gibbs. Vance is going to be calling you in a few with an address where the now dead kidnapper is. My family is safe and that bastard is dead. You let your Son of a Bitch partner know that THAT'S how Semper Fi works." Gibbs nodded at McGee and McGee hung up the phone.


	14. Chapter 14

McGee was able to breathe normally again when the sign for Bethesda came up. He was not sure how long it had taken to get to the hospital. He was sure that no one could have gotten there faster. Gibbs had taken his already scary driving tactic to a new level. Maybe in a few days Tim would be able to look back at it and smile.

Gibbs phone rang again as Gibbs pulled up to the door of the hospital. He answered the phone as his hands told McGee to find a parking place for the Charger. "Yeah, Gibbs." He entered the hospital and headed for the elevator.

"Any word on Molly and Tony's condition?" It was Vance on the other line. "Ziva said the perp is dead and she is on the way to the scene and that Tony and Molly are on their way to the hospital."

"DiNozzo seems fine but Molly is about to deliver any minute Leon. Don't have time to talk." Gibbs looked at the sign when he exited the elevator looking for maternity.

"I sent Abby to help process the scene. Told her the orders came from you. Sorry to put it on you but didn't think you wanted her at the hospital just yet. I promised to give her an update when I got one."

"Thanks Leon. I gotta go." He hung up as he approached the nurses' station. He was thankful Leon had the foresight to keep Abby busy. He did not have the time right now to keep her calm. "I'm here for Molly Rydell."

"You must be Leroy." A young nurse stood and grabbed his arm. She rushed him into a room three doors down the hall. Gibbs stopped dead in his tracks and looked at his Senior Field Agent with pride.

Tony was on the bed sitting with Molly in between his legs. He had both of her hands in his. "You can do it Molly. 1,2,3,4,5." Tony saw Gibbs out of the corner of his eye. "Hey Boss." He smiled and then turned his attention back to Molly. His hands went to her shoulders as Molly leaned against his chest.

"Leroy! You made it!" Molly exclaimed with relief. Molly was in a hospital gown. She was sweaty from pushing. She grimaced as another contraction started.

"DiNozzo, move so I can-" Gibbs took his jacket off and began kicking his shoes off so he could swap places with Tony.

"On it Boss." Tony went to move from behind Molly.

"Are you kidding me?" Both men froze when Molly's anger flashed. "I am trying to push here. In this room I am the boss! DiNozzo stay put. I am comfortable. Gibbs you get over here and talk me through these contractions." Both men were shocked by Molly's take charge attitude and use of their last names. Neither men felt it right to argue with her.

"You heard the lady DiNozzo." Gibbs said when Tony looked at him for clarification.

Tony wasn't sure if Gibbs was okay with him being in the room for such an intimate moment. But it looked like he was stuck here whether Gibbs wanted it or not. "On your six Molly."

Gibbs moved to the other side of the bed away from all the machines and wires that Molly was hooked to. He felt her stomach and knew there was another contraction coming. "Okay Molly look at me." Molly closed her eyes as she began to writhe in pain. "Look at me." She opened them again and looked into his eyes. "Now push while I talk. Pay attention to my voice not the pain. Are you pushing?" Molly began to push but did not take her eyes off him. "I am here. We are fine. Our son is healthy and will be here to meet us soon. The harder you push the faster this can be over. This is the homestretch sweetie."

Tony continued to hold both of Molly's hands and support her as he watched his boss talk Molly through each contraction. It almost embarrassed him to be a part of something so private. This was a side of Gibbs he had never seen and no one would ever believe him if he told them about it. Whatever magic that came from Gibbs' voice worked. Molly pushed and relaxed and was no longer crying. She worked as hard as she could with each push. His embarrassment was replaced with pure awe when the cry of Gibby came though the air and interrupted his thoughts.

Gibbs felt every muscle in his body relax when his son was handed over to Molly. He had nothing left to worry about. Molly was safe. Tony was safe. His son had arrived and was healthy. None of them would have to worry about Hayden ever again. He was pretty sure Leon and the Secret Service would make sure CAMS would get nowhere near Molly again. Gibbs was even more sure they wouldn't get past him if they somehow got past the rest of them.

He looked up at Tony who was looking down at the baby over Molly's shoulder. He owed Tony more than he could ever give. He put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed. Tony looked over at him and smiled. "You did good Tony. Thank you." Gibbs looked again at the scene in the room and chuckled. He remembered the conversation with Palmer and Tony at Molly's Georgetown home a month earlier at Christmas time. 

_Molly insisted on celebrating Christmas with the team. Since all had holiday plans, they chose a day a week before Christmas and had a party. This meant Gibbs had spent the weekend walking around Christmas tree lot after Christmas tree lot until Molly- who had become more and more indecisive as the pregnancy wore on- found the tree that fit "perfectly" in her town house. He then spent over an hour getting it in the tree stand and adjusting it until it was "perfectly" straight. Then he stopped counting how many hours it took to put on the lights and decorations until everything was spaced "perfectly". He had to admit that as annoyed as he became with the whole thing, as he sat here and looked at his family standing around it; it had been worth every second._

_Palmer was talking with Tony as Gibbs made his way over to them. He noticed Palmer stiffen like he always did when he noticed the agent. "Relax Palmer. Not gonna make you the Christmas goose." Gibbs smiled and slapped Palmer on the back._

"_You will after you hear Palmer's theory on you and Molly Boss." Palmer's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe that Tony would throw him under the bus like that. "Go ahead Palmer. Tell him." Tony smiled as he took another sip of his beer._

"_Well-uh-I was-We were just talking about what you said to me about Bree when we were working the Archer case." Jimmy stammered as he hated Tony more with each word._

"_What did I say during the Archer case?" Gibbs was now intrigued but got way more fun acting annoyed and watching Palmer squirm._

"_I was on the phone with her." Jimmy recounted slowly and rolled his eyes up as if watching the scene unfold in his head. "And you said 'you oughtta marry that girl Palmer'." Jimmy's eyes went back to Gibbs to check his reaction. "So I was telling Tony here that-well-um- that-"_

"_For chrissakes Palmer, spit it out." Now Gibbs was getting annoyed._

"_I think you should heed your own advice and marry that girl-I mean Molly." Jimmy spit it out as fast as he could and then seemed to shrug away from Gibbs as if he was bracing for a smack to the head._

"_Whys that Palmer?" Gibbs was actually shocked that Palmer found the nerve to say it to him._

"_There's a rule about if Boss." Tony answered. "One of your rules actually."_

"_Yeah? Which one?" Gibbs now looked at Tony with a cocked eyebrow._

"_Rule Five Boss. You don't waste good. You used that as an excuse to hire me. Look how long we've lasted together. Molly's good Boss."_

"_Can't argue with that logic, can I DiNozzo?" Gibbs turned to see McGee approach him from the kitchen. _

"_Uh-Boss- we got a bit of a problem in the kitchen." Tim indicated with his head for Gibbs to follow him back into the other room. As they made their way he started to explain. "I went in to get another bottle of wine and found her like this. She won't tell me what's wrong." As the door between the two rooms was swung open Tim pointed to Molly sitting at the table and she was crying._

"_Thanks Tim. I won't say it's probably nothing because I would like to live to see tomorrow." Gibbs whispered to Tim. "I will take care of it. Go back to the party." Gibbs made his way over to Molly and knelt down beside her. "What's wrong?" he put his hand on the sobbing woman's back._

"_It's nothing just like you said to Tim. Don't worry about it. Go enjoy the party." Molly said this all without removing her face from her hands._

"_I want to know and help Molly. I can't if you won't tell me what's wrong." Gibbs began his usual song and dance. Her mood swings had gotten pretty erratic as her pregnancy went on. It was nothing for him to be laughing at a joke she made and then in a blink of an eye she would be crying or stomping off in a huff. The blessing was that she seemed to, deep down, realize it was the hormones and that nothing was as bad as she was feeling it was._

"_Nothing is wrong Leroy. I'm just so happy." Her shoulders began to shake as she sobbed._

"_Really? Are you serious?" He shook his head and stood up and wrapped his arms around her when she nodded. "Can you at least tell Tim that when you get back out there cause he was really concerned?" _

_Molly was so happy to see the entire team had made it to the party. She understood that in past years, Gibbs life, despite Abby's every effort, had been lacking in the Christmas cheer department. She could understand how difficult this time of year could be on Leroy. She was, however, unable to allow him to not celebrate it at all._

_She didn't want to push the issue of decorating his home and having Christmas there this year since he was making an honest effort to make his life more welcoming to those around him. Leroy began having the team over more often. While Leroy had always made it clear to his team that the door was unlocked, they all still felt like they were intruding when they entered the home. They felt as if they were walking into his life with Shannon. Now, as Leroy prepped the house for the arrival of the baby, they felt like they were entering his current life. They had even had Vance and Jackie over for dinner. _

_Molly had also listened as Leroy began to talk about Kelly and Shannon. Talks of the baby and the pregnancy often lead to him recounting a story about Shannon's pregnancy or something silly Kelly had done. Molly knew that it was something special that he could share them with her. While his response to the memories was not always positive, she always supported him no matter what the response. He seemed to really want to find the peace that she had found after Michael's death. He wanted to move away from mourning. He wanted it for himself and for them as a family. Molly made it clear she was next to him every step of the way._

_Molly stood with some assistance from Leroy. She wrapped her arms around him. "Can it get better than this Leroy? I mean having the team over as family. The tree and decorations are perfect." Gibbs smiled at the use of that word again. "Tony, Amira, and Leyla are spending Christmas with us and your dad is coming. Even Gibby seems to understand how great this is. He has been kicking all night. I couldn't be happier."_

"_Next year will be better because we will be sharing our holiday with all of them and our son." He rested a hand on her belly and felt his son kick. "You know what the best part of this was for me?" She looked at him questioning him with her expression. "Watching you wiggle your way in and out of my truck at all those tree lots." He chuckled as she swatted the back of his head._


	15. Chapter 15

As Molly got the first real rest she had had in over 24 hours, Gibbs held his newborn son in his arms. He wasn't sure if there was anything that could take the smile off his face as he looked down at the small bundle that lay sleeping just as soundly as his mother. He thought his heart would burst from the pride and love he felt at this moment. He sat there remembering what it was like to hold Kelly for the first time and for the first time in a long time; those memories were not accompanied by pain or a sense of loss. He was grateful for that. He wanted to be able to tell his son all about Kelly. He wanted to be able to tell the stories and have it followed by laughter and a smile rather than tears and a bottle of bourbon.

He was enjoying the quiet time with his son since he was sure that within the next hour the team would be arriving and the quiet would end. Ziva and Abby would be finishing up the crime scene anytime now. They would surely drop by prior to heading back to the Navy Yard. Once Abby arrived, any sense of calm would be shattered with squeals of joy and words flying faster than any bullet she could analyze. Gibbs had sent Tony with Tim. Tony was going to shower and change while Tim ran over to Gibbs' house to pick up the hospital bag that had been packed in the closet for weeks in anticipation of his son's arrival. Tim had yet to see the baby and so both would be returning as well.

DiNozzo had looked on with fascination as the nurses washed, weighed, measured, and printed Gibby shortly after his birth. Molly had taken the opportunity while he was distracted to tell Gibbs that she wanted Tony to have the honor of naming their son. She explained that he had been so worried about disappointing Gibbs despite being the sole reason she had been able to have Gibby in the safety of a hospital with his father present. Gibbs agreed. Tony was shocked.

"Don't worry; you won't be strapped with Gibby your whole life. DiNozzo is working on a name for you as we speak. He won't let you down. He never lets any of us down." Gibbs watched as his son stuck his fist in his mouth and began to suck. "We're going to ask him to be your Godfather you know? We didn't think we were prepared to make that decision yet. Not that there is a lack of people to take care of you. Fact is, there is so many people to take care of you we wouldn't know where to begin picking someone over the others. But Tony earned it. You are here because he made sure you and your mom stayed safe. He had your six little man. Can't ask him to do more than that. Couldn't ask for a better person to have it either." Gibbs again sat and enjoyed the silence.

"Excuse me, Agent Gibbs?" One of the nurses knocked on the door of the room after about a half hour. "There are some women here to see you. Would it be okay if I let them-" The nurse was interrupted when Abby came bursting through the door with Ziva in tow before she could finish.

"We're family, of course it's okay." Abby turned in a circle and stopped suddenly when she saw Gibbs holding the baby. Her hands went up to her mouth and there were tears in her eyes.

"It's fine." Gibbs said to the nurse. "Tony, the agent that helped deliver, and Agent McGee will be here soon as well." The nurse nodded and left.

"Gibbs, he is…. He is so…." Abby couldn't seem to find the words or fight back the tears as she stood there staring.

"Cat got your tongue Abs?" Gibbs started to chuckle. Well maybe she wouldn't be talking so fast after all.

"He is a beautiful baby Gibbs." Ziva offered in Abby's place. "He looks very much like you."

"Gibbs, he is finally here. He is so little and so perfect. I want to hold him but we've been down in that yucky basement. I have dust and stuff all over my clothes." The words finally started coming quickly. "You should have seen it Gibbs, I mean there was room for them to be comfortable but-"

Gibbs' hand went up to stop her. "I do not want to talk about it Abs. We are all safe and happy. That's all I care about at this moment. That's all I want to think about at this moment. This moment is about my son meeting his family for the first time."

"Leroy," Molly woke at the sound of Abby's squeal of delight as Gibbs handed her his red USMC hooded sweatshirt off a chair to put on so she could hold Gibby. "Is Tony back yet?"

"Missed me already?" Tony asked as he entered the room. He was proud of himself because it almost seemed like he had Gibbs' timing on that one.

"Here is the bag you wanted Boss." McGee followed Tony into the room and put a duffle bag on the floor next to Gibbs' chair. "Ducky and Palmer will be here later when they finish up at the office."

"So," Tony clapped loudly. "I put a lot of thought into my assignment Boss. I have a name for Gibby here."

"Wait! What? You get to name Gibby?" Abby's head snapped up from looking at the baby.

"Leroy and I can't express to Tony enough how grateful we are for what he did last night." Molly answered Abby. "We have not been able to agree on a name so we asked Tony if he would like the honor of choosing his name. He agreed. So what is it Tony?"

"Okay, so I put a lot of thought into it. Jack. His name is Jack."

"You are naming Gibbs' baby after an actor that you do a lousy impression of? I know you love movies Tony but this really takes the cookie does it not?" Ziva looked at him seriously and folded her arms across her chest.

"Its cake Zee-Vah, takes the cake. And no, I am not naming him after Jack Nicholson. Well not completely! Can't a guy get a little credit around here?" Tony threw up his hands.

"You didn't get the idea from the bottle you buy Gibbs every year for Christmas did you?" Abby looked doubtful.

"That just hurts Abby. I put a lot of thought into his name. Is it so hard to believe I have a legitimate reason for the name?" Tony was getting frustrated. He took the honor of naming Gibbs' baby seriously. He had risked his life to make sure he was born with his father by his side. Why would he mess around with the kid's name?

"I like the name Tony. What made you chose it?" Gibbs ended any comments by the rest of the team with a look. He did like the name and he wanted to know DiNozzo's reasoning behind it. He knew Tony wouldn't have just picked a name out of thin air.

"I remembered the conversation Molly and I had in the Escalade about what you looked for in a name. You wanted it to be a strong name that showed leadership and was intelligent. In almost every field of work and study there is a famous Jack. In politics," he nodded his head towards Molly, "There's Jack Kennedy. Jack Hawkins was a great Marine. Sports has Jack Nicklaus. Entertainment is Jack Nicholson." He made a point to glare at Ziva. "There are strong, successful, famous Jacks from all around the world in every field of interest. And you don't have to worry about a nickname." He again nodded at Molly referring back to the conversation they had last night. "And then there is one even more important reason…" Tony trailed off.

"Which is?" Gibbs cocked a brow in question.

"I think it would do a lot for your relationship with your dad if he thinks you named your son after him. There are worse people you could name him after."

The room was silent for a minute as Gibbs looked at Molly. Both communicated approval in their eyes. Molly broke the silence. "I love it Tony. And I appreciate all the effort you put into it. What is Jack's middle name?"

"That's the genius behind it. So Boss has three names like everyone. But he usually goes by his last name unless he is introducing himself, then he uses Jethro. Sorry Molly but the only people who use Leroy are you, Jackson, and well… his ex-wife."

"Tony!" Gibbs barked. He had never told Molly that Diane used his first name. She took such pride in being one of a loved few who actually got to call him Leroy. "Get to the point DiNozzo."

"Sorry Boss! Anyways…. I think Jack should not have a middle name. It would be ironic that the son of the man who rarely goes by his first name only has a first name." DiNozzo beamed with pride as Gibbs nodded.

"Well?" Gibbs looked over at Molly. "What do you think Mom?"

"I'm okay with it if you are." Molly shrugged. She actually really liked the idea of no middle name. It was different.

Gibbs made his way over to Tony and shook his hand while patting him on the shoulder with the other one. "Thank you Tony. Thank you for everything. You did good." Gibbs did not break eye contact with Tony until he was sure Tony truly understood the depths of his gratitude and pride. When he was sure Tony understood he reached up and smacked the back of Tony's head. "Love maniac DiNozzo?"

It took a moment for Tony to make the connection back to the conversation on the phone he had had with Gibbs when they were first abducted. He smiled a huge smile. "Was I wrong Boss?" 

The team had said their goodbyes hours ago. Ducky and Palmer had come and gone. Leon and Jackie had called with congratulations. Plans had been made for his father to come up by train in a few weeks to meet his namesake. Tony had been right. Gibbs was sure there were tears in the old man's eyes when he had heard the name. Gibbs had not told him his son was named after him, since that was not completely the truth. His father just assumed and Gibbs felt it better to allow him to believe it. The President and First Lady had called and offered apologies to both of them for the mistake made by the Secret Service and congratulations. All that was left was himself, Molly, and little Jack. Gibbs chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Molly looked over at Leroy. She was so thankful for the quiet. She loved his team but she was exhausted. She thought she was going to cry at any minute just thinking about how lucky she was to have such a wonderful man in her life and a beautiful son. It was easier to be grateful when her head went back to how close they had come to a very different end to this day.

"Just thinking how happy I am that people are going to stop calling him Gibby now." Gibbs picked up his son from his sleeping place and made his way over to the bed and sat down on it. Molly moved over and patted the bed. Gibbs lay down next to her.

"I may start calling you Gibby now that I know Diane used to call you Leroy." Molly laughed at Gibbs glare.

"Can't think of the last time in 20 years I have been this happy." He kissed Molly on the top of the head as she lay her head on his shoulder. "What do you think about us getting married?"

Molly's head shot up. "That depends Leroy. Were you planning on coming here today and asking me to marry you or are you getting all swept up in the emotions of the last 24 hours?" Molly smiled up at him as they were both reminded of when he had asked her if she wanted to get married the night she had told him about the baby.

"You know, all my other wives made this easy for me and just said yes. They didn't care the reasoning behind it."

"Hmmmm, makes you understand why they are referred to as EX now doesn't it? Besides, I have made your life anything but easy in the past year. Why start now?"


End file.
